


Last Midnight

by ranguvar82



Series: Guardian and Pear [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Feral Crowley (Good Omens), Fluff, M/M, Magic, Mentor Crowley, Newt is trying his best, Smut, Student Anathema
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:07:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28362159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ranguvar82/pseuds/ranguvar82
Summary: Sequel to Into The Woods. Crowley and Aziraphale are living their best life. They have each other, they have their happiness. And when they meet their new neighbors, they introduce them to a world of magic and mystery.Anathema Device has always been a 'little bit psychic', and always believed that there was something out there. When she and Newt meet their mysterious and magical neighbors, she's drawn into a world unlike any she's ever known.
Relationships: Anathema Device/Newton Pulsifer, Aziraphale & Anathema Device, Aziraphale (Good Omens) & Newton Pulsifer, Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley & Anathema Device
Series: Guardian and Pear [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2015479
Comments: 112
Kudos: 110





	1. A Swim At Sunrise

Last Midnight

Chapter One: A Swim At Sunrise

Crowley stirred into wakefulness, stretching his long arms above his head and yawning, revealing his sharp fangs. His hair danced around his head, making shadow patterns on the wall behind him. He looked over at his still sleeping husband, and gently ran a finger down the smooth, alabaster cheeks before pressing a soft kiss to Aziraphale’s forehead. The former telepath sighed and settled into deeper sleep. Smiling, Crowley stole out of bed and walked down to the lake, primroses and marigolds(his Pear’s favorite flowers, he had confessed) springing up in his wake.

The Guardian walked out onto the lake and dove under, then came back up and tossed his hair out of his face. The water was a bit cold, but felt very nice. Crowley dove again and came up with two large trout. He sent them to the bank. Fish for breakfast sounded like a good idea.

A soft sound behind him made him turn. “Pear!” Aziraphale was standing on the bank, holding a bouquet of Crowley’s flowers.

“For me?” Crowley nodded and swam up to the bank. Aziraphale inhaled the flower’s scent, then shed his pajamas, set the flowers down on them, and joined Crowley in the lake. “You could have woken me.”

Crowley sighed as Aziraphale pulled him into his arms. “No. Pear looked...what is word?”

“Happy?”

“No. More than happy. Word mean...at peace. But not peace. Word start with S.”

“Serene?” Aziraphale guessed. Crowley hooted happily and kissed him.

“That word! Serene! Pear looked serene. Not want to wake. Pear having good dream, looked like.”

Aziraphale ran his fingers through his love’s fire curls. They petted him, stroking his hand. “I was having a very good dream. You were in it. You’re in all my dreams, my love. Would you like to hear about it?” Crowley nodded. Aziraphale kissed him. “We were here, at our lake, sitting on a blanket. The sky was full of stars, and we had a picnic spread out in front of us. You were lying with your head in my lap, and I was reading to you.. Then you told me to look up, and we watched the stars fall. Each time a star fell, we kissed, until that was all we were doing. Then you pushed me down onto the blanket and claimed me, over and over.”

“That sound like very good dream.” Crowley said with a smile. Aziraphale stroked his cheek.

“It was.” They kissed again, deeper this time, and Aziraphale yipped in happy shock when Crowley pulled him flush against his bark-smooth body, their hardening cocks rubbing together. “My love...”

“Pear, love you. Want you...” Crowley moaned into Aziraphale’s mouth. The blond whimpered, and Crowley scooped him up and carried him onto the bank. He glanced over at the fish, and with a snap sent them into the fridge. “We have fish breakfast?”

Aziraphale nodded. “Yes, anything, now please, fuck me.” Crowley conjured up a patch of soft moss and reverently laid Aziraphale down, then climbed on top of him, claiming his mouth in a hot, passionate kiss. He nipped gently at his lower lip with his fangs, and Aziraphale whined. Crowley’s hair was all over Aziraphale’s chest, stroking with increased pressure, and Aziraphale writhed under the Guardian. “Crowley...please...” Crowley’s fangs sunk into Aziraphale’s neck, and the immortal howled, his back arching like a bow. “YES!”

Crowley sucked a kiss into his Pear’s soft skin, head reeling at the delicious taste of him. He moved his lips to Aziraphale’s chest, sucking kisses as he made his way down his mate’s perfect body. Aziraphale writhed, a steady moan coming from his throat.

Crowley swallowed him down, and Aziraphale howled, burying his fingers deep into Crowley’s hair. “OH FUCK YES!” Crowley gave Aziraphale’s cock a hard, harsh suck, scraping it with his fangs, and Aziraphale gave vent to a shriek that startled a nearby bird from its nest. Smirking, Crowley sucked again, and this time Aziraphale didn’t shriek. He howled. Crowley worked his cock with his mouth, lips, teeth, and tongue, playing him like an instrument, and Aziraphale sobbed, shrieked, and fucked into Crowley’s mouth, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as his powerful lover took him to the precipice of pleasure. He didn’t come so much as explode into a million pieces.

Crowley licked up the bits he hadn’t swallowed, then slid up his mate’s body, smiling down at the dazed, panting look in his Pear’s eyes. “Good?”

“Take me...” Aziraphale panted, arching himself up to expose his hole. “Please, take me, I need you inside, I need to be fucked, please...”

Crowley summoned the berry and slicked himself up, then slid his fingers inside Aziraphale, coating his hole with the juice. Aziraphale groaned. “Crowley, please...”

Crowley lined up and slammed in. Aziraphale shrieked in joy and wrapped his legs around Crowley’s waist, pulling him in deeper. “Ohh...my love, please fuck my brains out.”

Crowley was more than happy to oblige. His Pear felt so good, so tight, so hot and sweet around him. Crowley loved being inside his mate, and he also loved it when his mate was inside him. Aziraphale was just as good at receiving as he was giving, and their sex life was very active. Not too surprising, considering that they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

Pear had sat Crowley down one night, his face serious. He had told Crowley that he had been with other humans. At first, Crowley had been furious, wrapping himself in his thorn vine and refusing to even look at Aziraphale. But his mate knew him better than Crowley knew himself at times, and had gently explained that the humans had meant nothing, and that Crowley was the only one Aziraphale would ever love. He had explained how his telepathy had been a hindrance, since being able to know what someone is really thinking of you was really not a turn on. Crowley had slowly come out of the vine, sliding into Aziraphale’s lap and kissing him. “Pear Crowley’s King. No one else.”

“And you are my beloved Guardian.” Pear had said before leading Crowley into their bedroom and proceeding to banish any doubts.

Crowley knew his love was close. He himself was nearing the edge, and he braced himself, angling his thrusts to hit every nerve inside his Pear. Aziraphale was digging furrows into his back, a steady keen pouring from his mouth.

Crowley gave one final hard thrust and came hard, screaming Aziraphale’s name, Aziraphale shrieked and came as well, and dozens of roses sprang up from the sand, their buds opening. Crowley collapsed on top of his love’s body, both of them panting. “Love Pear.”

“Pear loves you too. Now, a good fuck always makes me peckish. What say we take a quick dip to clean up, then go back to the house so we can have our fish breakfast?” Crowley was amenable to that, so after a quick dip, they went back to their cabin. Aziraphale got dressed and Crowley slid on one of his many tunics. He had tried wearing human clothing, but it felt so restrictive that he had taken it off after a few seconds. Not that Aziraphale minded, of course.

Aziraphale cooked breakfast-the fish was fried, and he made scrambled eggs to go with, along with coffee for himself and tea for Crowley, who had come to like the “leaf juice,” as he called it(much to Aziraphale’s chagrin). Crowley sprawled in his chair and gobbled up his food, including the fish heads that Aziraphale had set aside for him. “Good!”

Aziraphale ate a bit more sedately, savoring each bite. “Yes, I did do a good job if I say so myself.” He dabbed at his lips with his napkin. “I was thinking, maybe we could go rafting today. It’s going to be lovely and warm. You could make the raft big enough to hold a picnic basket, and we could have lunch on the lake.”

Crowley nodded. “Yes, good. I make raft after breakfast.” He scraped the last bit of food into his mouth and began to swipe his arm across his face. Aziraphale fixed him with a piercing glare. Crowley blushed and picked up his napkin, wiping his face. “I go check on trees real quick, ask for wood.” Crowley said before heading out. Aziraphale gathered up the dishes and set them in the sink in preparation for washing.

Crowley had managed to gather quite a few branches for the raft. He waved his hand, and the branches formed themselves into a raft shape. Crowley called up several strong vines, and they wove themselves into the wood, making the raft secure. Another wave sent the raft to the edge of the lake. Crowley smiled, satisfied.

A vine dropped down and poked at his ear. Crowley cocked his head. “Say again.” The vine poked him. Crowley leaped into the trees, bounding across like a monkey. When he reached the other side of the lake, he stopped, staring at the other house. Pear had said it was empty, that the human who lived there seasonally had decided it was too much to take care of. But now he could see two vehicles. There was a car, but it had three wheels, and a large box shaped car with writing on it. Curious, Crowley moved so he could see better.

Two humans came out of the house. One was a female, the other was male. The female was tall, and had black hair. She was wearing a green dress and had on boots, as Pear had told Crowley they were called. The male looked twitchy and nervous.

The female spoke. “So what do you think? My Aunt Agnes have good taste or what?”

“It’s...nice. A bit out of the way.”

“Oh, come on. That’s the appeal. Outdoors, nature, that sort of thing. I mean, look at this forest. It’s practically untouched. And there’s a house across the lake, too. We should go introduce ourselves.”

“Ana, it’s early. I’m sure whoever lives there is still asleep.” The male said, and Crowley snorted. As if he and Pear would sleep when there was so much to do in the day. Which reminded him, he needed to get back. Pear was probably getting worried.

He turned and raced back to the cabin. Sure enough, Aziraphale was standing by the raft, looking a bit put out. “Where were you?”

“Cross lake. New humans in house. Male and female. Think they mates, they act like it. Female name Ana. Not hear male name.”

“Oh? What’s your initial impression?”

Crowley pushed the raft onto the lake, then called up a pole. Aziraphale stretched out, munching on an apple. “They seem okay. Want meet?”

“Well, now that I don’t have the curse of being able to read their minds, I would love to.”

Crowley grinned, then frowned. “I have to dress human?”

“No. I don’t want you to pretend to be something you aren’t. We’ll figure out a story for you.”

Crowley sighed in relief.

Across the lake, Anathema Device stared into the forest. There was something...strange about it. Almost...magical. The witch smiled. She was going to like it here.


	2. Auras, Auras, Shining Bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anathema and Newt meet Aziraphale and Crowley, and Ana is plunged headfirst into a world she never knew existed.

Chapter Two: Auras, Auras, Shining Bright

It had taken quite a bit of convincing on Anathema’s part, but eventually Newt agreed to go and meet their neighbors. “But,” he had said, “only after we’ve unpacked at least four big boxes. That way we’re not meeting them at an ungodly hour.” Ana had sighed, but agreed, and they set to work unpacking the boxes for the kitchen, sitting room, dining room, and bedroom.

Ana placed the picture of her Aunt Agnes on her dresser, smiling at it. “This place already feels more like home than Jasmine Cottage, Auntie. I’m really glad you left it to me and Newt.” She walked over to the window, looking out on the verdant forest. Anathema had been a city girl, and this much green was almost overwhelming. She went out the sliding glass door onto the back porch. The smell was so different. Lush, rich soil, the green smell of trees, and something else. Something she couldn’t identify. A sharp, almost tangy smell. But not an unpleasant one. It made her think of a fire, and of her huddled in front of it with her parents as they drank coffee(or in Ana’s case, hot chocolate) and discussed their day. It felt like..like home.

Crowley, who of course had been keeping a very close eye on the new humans, smirked to himself. It seemed that the female had a bit of the gift that Pear once had. He hoped it didn’t burden her. She seemed nice enough. He watched the female go back inside, then turned and climbed into his trees, heading for home.

“There. Last box of kitchen stuff.” Newt declared, placing the glasses in a cupboard. Anathema grinned. “We shouldn’t go empty handed, that would be rude.”

“Newt, we don’t even know what they’re like. They may be vegans. Or teetotalers.”

“So? We have to bring something. How about the six pack of root beer?”

Ana agreed that seemed like a safe choice, so they carried it out to Newt’s Reliant and set off down the road. “Ana, is it me, or are the trees really close to the road?”

Ana shook her head. “It’s not just you. It’s almost like a canopy. I think it’s awesome.”

Newt pulled up into their neighbor’s driveway, parking behind a Citroen. He got out, then held the door for Ana, who mock glared at him. “Well, there’s lights, so somebody’s home.” She retrieved the root beer, linked hands with Newt, and together they went up the drive and mounted the porch steps. Ana took a moment to admire the gorgeous woodwork(and drool with envy over the swing. She made a note to ask where they had bought it)before knocking.

The door was opened seconds later by a man who looked like he had stepped out of a Dickens novel. He had hair so blond it was almost white, kind blue eyes, and a warm, friendly smile. “Hello?”

Ana smiled and stuck out her hand. “Hi. I’m Anathema Device, and this is my partner, Newton. We just moved in across the lake.” The Dickens character shook her hand with enthusiasm.

“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Aziraphale Fell.. Please, do come in.” Aziraphale stepped aside, allowing them to enter. “Now, my dear, do I detect by your accent that you’re American?”

“Uh, yeah.” Ana said, looking around. “Mr. Fell, this place is lovely.”

“Oh, thank you. We had it built, you know.”

“We?” Newt asked politely. Aziraphale nodded.

“My husband and I. He’s out back, tending to his plants. Give me a moment, I’ll go fetch him.” Aziraphale headed towards the back of the house. When he was out of sight, Ana turned to Newt.

“There’s something off about him.” She whispered. Newt gaped at her. “I mean it. His aura. It’s..shiny.”

Newt groaned. As much as he loved Ana, and he loved her madly, he could never understand her obsession with the occult. She claimed to be able to see auras-citing that as one reason why she knew they would be compatible- and also had an uncanny knack for knowing when something was going to happen before it did. “Ana, please do not start spouting about auras and psychic ability.”

“I can’t help what I see, Newt. And Mr. Fell’s aura isn’t like any I’ve ever seen before.” Newt sighed and nudged her.

“Well, keep it to yourself. Mr. Fell’s coming back inside.”

Mr. Fell came back inside, accompanied by the strangest man Newt and Ana had ever seen.

He was incredibly tall, with hair so red that it appeared to be on fire(and surely it was a trick of the light that made it look like the hair was moving), golden eyes like a cat’s or a snake’s, and long, long arms and legs. But that wasn’t the oddest thing. He was wearing what Ana could swear was a deerskin tunic, and he had flowers in his hair. To Ana, they looked like they were growing there. But that couldn’t be.

Subtly, she opened up her Eye, and nearly staggered. The other man’s aura was like being hit with a face full of the sun. It shone more brightly than any Ana had ever seen, and it was every color of the rainbow. It pulsed, and Ana couldn’t stop looking.

A rough hand on her arm jolted her back to reality. The red head was giving her a look that made her feel like she was a small mouse in front of a lion. “Don’t look so deep. You may not like what you find.” He growled. Ana gulped. Was it her imagination, or did he have fangs?

“Anthony, behave.” Aziraphale admonished, and Anthony gave Anathema one last piercing look and let her go. “Now, we can make proper introductions. This is my husband, Anthony Crowley. Anthony dear, this is Anathema Device and Newton...I’m sorry, what it your last name?”

“Pulsifer.” Newt said, sticking his hand out. “Nice to meet you, Anthony.”

Anthony snarled. “Crowley. You call me Crowley.” Aziraphale glared at him. “Don’t like bein’ called my hum...Anthony except by my husband.”

Ana recovered in record time. “Crowley it is, then. You have a lovely home. Aziraphale was telling me you built it?”

“Yeah. Old house have bad memories. There was...a fire. This was ‘long time go, fore Crowley meet Pear.”

“Pear?” Newt asked, puzzled. Aziraphale waved.

“It’s his nickname for me. Because I’m pear shaped.”

Crowley nodded, then pointed to the six pack still in Newt’s hand. “What that?”

“Oh. It’s root beer. Ana and I weren’t sure if you drank, so we figured bring this to be safe. Would you like one?”

Crowley took the bottle Newt handed him, sniffing at it. “What root beer?”

“You...you don’t know what root beer is?” Ana asked, surprise clear on her face. Aziraphale sighed.

“Anthony’s led a very...isolated life.”

Crowley snarled at the bottle. “Won’t open.” Aziraphale took it, twisted the top off, and handed it back. Crowley sniffed. “Smell funny. Like birch tree and sugar.” He took a sip, then made a face and spat it out. “ICKY.” He swiped his tongue, making a face of disgust. “Too sweet!”

Aziraphale took a long sip. “Mmm, quite good. And this coming from someone that drinks honey wine.”

“That different. Crowley make wine his self. That rooty beer is ucky.” Crowley declared. He went over to the sofa and sprawled out on it, humming. “We meet you. You go now.”

“Anthony, you are not dismissing these nice people.” Aziraphale said sternly. Crowley pouted, and Aziraphale rolled his eyes. “And no pouting. Try to be civilized, please.”

Crowley groaned. “Fine. I be nice. You. Ana name. Why you looking?”

“Looking? At what?” Aziraphale asked, looking a bit startled.

“She like you. Senses things. Was Looking at us. What you see?”

Anathema gulped. “I wasn’t, I...” Her voice died in her throat when Crowley **flowed** off the couch, coming to stand directly in front of her. “Honest, I didn’t mean...”

“You need to be careful, child. Having a gift is one thing. Knowing how to use it is something entirely else. Take it from someone with more knowledge than you will ever have. Don’t look too deep. You may end up drowning.” Crowley said in a soft tone, one that made Ana shiver down to her toes from fear. Whoever this Crowley was, Ana was almost certain he wasn’t human. As for Aziraphale, he felt human, but had the same tinge to his aura that Crowley did. And yet..

Ana felt no danger. Something deep inside her told her that Crowley **was** dangerous, most likely extremely so, but she had the feeling that he meant her no harm. “I..I’m sorry.”

“You have potential, child. I can feel it. My Pear had the gift you have, only much stronger.” Crowley cocked his head. “You know. Don’t you?”

“Kn...know what? I don’t know anything.” Ana insisted. Newt was looking increasingly alarmed.

“You’re scaring her!”

Crowley ignored him. He reached out and grasped Ana’s chin, forcing her to look in his eyes. “You. Know.”

“What are you?” Ana whispered, eyes wide and terrified. Newt started forward, and Aziraphale stopped him.

“He won’t hurt her.”

Crowley grinned, showing off his fangs. “I am the sunlight in the forest. I am the vine that creeps, the trees, the flowers, and the bite of nature. I am red in tooth and claw. I am the thorn that pierces, that scratches, that bleeds. I am this forest. I am The Guardian. I am nature. I am magic. I am death and life. And, you, child, have entered my world. Do you wish to stay?” He looked up at Newt. “You as well.”

Anathema shivered. This was magic. Real, true, actual magic. Not storybook, but real. It intrigued her, terrified her, and fascinated her. “Are you going to hurt us?”

“No.”

Newt gulped. “M..Magic isn’t real!”

Crowley held out his hand. Ana and Newt watched as a rose appeared out of thin air. Ana gasped in shock. Newt stared at it, then fainted dead away. Ana held out her hand, and Crowley handed her the rose. “It’s real.” She whispered, awe struck.

“It is. Welcome to our world, Anathema Device.”


	3. More Things In Heaven And Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crowley decides to take Ana under his...branches, Newt and Aziraphale bond, and a friendship is forged.

Chapter Three: More Things In Heaven And Earth

“I know, it’s a lot to take in.” Aziraphale said in sympathy, handing the still shocked Newt a glass of water. The human had come to fairly quickly, all things considering, and now the two of them were in Aziraphale’s kitchen. Crowley and Anathema had gone outside for their own talk. “Trust me, the first time I saw Crowley I nearly fainted.” Aziraphale wisely decided not to say it was because Crowley was so beautiful that he had taken Aziraphale’s breath away. “He’s immensely powerful, but he can also be immensely kind and gentle.”

Newt drained the glass, and Aziraphale obligingly refilled it. “It’s just...I mean, nobody expects to have cryptids for neighbors.” Aziraphale laughed, his head thrown back. “I didn’t offend you, did I?”

“Not at all. It’s just, well, technically I’ve only been a ‘cryptid’ for a few months. Before that I was human.” Aziraphale said with a smile. Newt gaped at him.

“How?”

“Well, it’s a long story, but if you’d like to hear...” Newt nodded, and Aziraphale settled against the counter. “Well, it all started with a car accident...”

“Hold your hand out.” Crowley instructed. He and Anathema(“Call me Ana, I only get the full one if I’m in trouble.”) were in his garden. Specifically, at his rose bushes. They were reaching out to him, their buds opening and closing. Ana held out a hand, and Crowley whistled, low and sharp. One of the roses extended outward, becoming a vine, and poked at Ana’s fingers. She blinked, but didn’t move. “Now. You can see auras, right?” Ana nodded. “Plants have auras too. It’s just a matter of using the right...wavelength, I guess you’d call it. That’s where my ability comes from.”

“You can talk to plants?” Ana asked,staring at him in fascination. Crowley stroked a rose, and it became a vine, wrapping itself around him. “Wow.”

“More than talk. I can control them. It...you’re lucky to live in the time you do, little witch. A time when witchcraft is looked on as a harmless hobby rather than a cause for torment and destruction.” Crowley said, staring into the middle distance. Even now, with his love by his side, he was still sometimes tormented by the memories of his death, of the fire, the blood, and the burning.

A gentle hand on his made him come back to the present. “You okay?” Ana asked, concerned. Crowley shook himself.

“Long memories, little witch. Nothing for you to know. Not right now. Perhaps in time. But now. When you look at a human’s aura, or an animals, how do you do it?”

Anathema blinked. She hadn’t ever really thought about it before. “I...don’t really know. It’s like...this feeling comes over me, and another eye opens, but in my mind, and I see colors.”

Crowley nodded. “With plants, it’s almost the same. But they have much less complex thoughts than animals or humans. Not simple, just less complex. There is a difference. The rose in your hand. Its main thoughts are of the sun, the soil, and water. What do those provide, for a plant?”

“Um...life?”

“Yes. Now, imagine you’re the rose. Close your eyes, and imagine you’re in the rose bed. The soil is warm. The sun is shining down on you. Feel the heat of it, the way it warms your petals and encourages you to reach for it. Now picture water, cool and life-giving, on your petals and roots. Feel it soak into you.” Crowley smiled as the rose in Ana’s hand began to glow a soft pink. “Now. Open your eyes.”

“Oh my! I did it! I can see its aura!” Ana stared at the rose, then blinked. “I can see all of them! It’s beautiful!” She turned back to Crowley. “Teach me more!”

“In time, little witch. In time.”

Back in the kitchen, Newt was gaping as Aziraphale finished his story. “Your own brother?!” Aziraphale nodded grimly. “Well, I don’t blame Crowley for what he did.”

“Neither did I. What about you?”

Newt blinked at him. “What about me?”

Aziraphale rummaged in the fridge and came up with two apples. He tossed one to Newt, who caught it one handed, much to the immortal’s approval. “What’s your story?”

Newt took a bite of apple, moaning. “Oh..wow. This is good. My story? Don’t really have one.”

Aziraphale bit into his own apple. “Stuff and nonsense. Everyone has a story. What do you do for a living?”

Newt turned as red as the apple he was holding. “Er...I’m a clerk in a hardware store. Well, I was. I really want to work with computers, but...every one I touch breaks. Actually, anything electronic tends to go kerflooey around me. The till at the store’s an old fashioned one, so I couldn’t break it. I quit because my boss went out of business. Bigger stores moving into the area.”

Aziraphale winced in sympathy. “I know the feeling. I used to own a bookstore. But you say you were a clerk?” Newt nodded, his mouth full of apple. “Are you and your...girlfriend?”

“Fiance.” Newt said with considerable pride. “We’re getting married next year.”

“Congratulations. Anyway, I happen to know that the grocer’s in the village is looking for some extra help. The girl that used to work there left for Uni last week. What about Anathema?”

“She’s in the...predicting business. But she doesn’t have to work, her family is rich due to some very canny stock investments in the ‘80s.”

Aziraphale smiled in understanding. “Alright then. I have the feeling Crowley is going to be taking her under his...branches, so to speak. I tell you what. Why don’t I make some lunch for all of us, and then after that I’ll set aside a day to take you both to the village, show you around?”

“What about Crowley?”

“He doesn’t go to the village.” Newt opened his mouth, and Aziraphale held up a hand. “The reasons are his own. If he wants you to know, he will tell you.”

“Okay. Lunch sounds good. Would it be okay if I went outside and asked Ana?”

“Yes, of course.” Newt headed for the door, and Aziraphale pulled the ingredients to make sandwiches and salads out of the fridge.

“Gently, little witch. You want to coax it to open, not force it.” Crowley said softly. Ana nodded, then took another breath and ran her fingers along the tightly closed flower in her hand. Nothing happened.

“It’s not working!”

Crowley took Ana’s hand in his. “Because you’re forcing it. Relax.” Ana let out a deep sigh. Crowley chuckled, then placed Ana’s finger on the petals. “Gently.” He ran their linked fingers down the flower, and the buds began to unfurl. “See?”

“Oh...” Ana whispered. “I...am I doing this?”

“Yes.”

Ana beamed. “I...don’t take this the wrong way, but your speech...”

Crowley smiled. “It comes and goes. I spent many, many years not speaking human speech, so that when I first spoke it was very guttural and broken. I didn’t even know how to read. It helps having a mate that is a voracious reader.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Crowley?” Newt had come over. Ana’s beam got wider and she held out her hand.

“I made it open up!”

Newt’s smile threatened to overtake his face. “That’s wonderful. Mr. Fell would like us to stay for lunch. If it’s okay with Mr. Crowley.”

“Just Crowley, and yeah, that’s fine. If I know my Pear, he’s making sandwiches, which means you’re in for a treat.”

Crowley turned out to be right. Anathema and Newt went into raptures over the ham and cheese sandwiches made with smoked ham, Gruyure cheese, and stacked high with fresh lettuce and tomatoes from the garden, all on fresh, homemade bread. The fresh apple cider was deemed a hit as well, with Newt having three glasses and Ana four. The salad was also a huge hit. After lunch, Ana declared that they had some unpacking still to do, and invited Aziraphale and Crowley over for dinner the next night.

After they left, Aziraphale sat on the sofa and pulled Crowley into his lap. “What do you think?”

Crowley kissed him. “The little witch has potential. I think I may try to teach her.”

Aziraphale waited patiently while Crowley unbuttoned his shirt, nipping at the soft flesh. “Do you think she has the same ability as you?” He asked, gasping when his love’s very talented tongue pressed against his nipple. Crowley sucked a kiss into his Pear’s flesh, then began unbuckling his trousers.

“Not the same, no. But she could be like you. Able to speak with them, make them grow better.” The Guardian answered, reaching into Aziraphale’s trousers and gently stroking his cock. Aziraphale sighed. Crowley tugged down the zipper, and Aziraphale let his head fall back against the couch. Crowley slid off Aziraphale’s lap. “Did you and Newt have a nice talk?” He asked, wrapping one hand around the hot, hard flesh and dragging up. Aziraphale made a strangled noise.

“Yes, we did. He’s a rather nice young man. Dotes on Ana.” Aziraphale gasped out. Crowley pressed a soft kiss to the tip of his cock. “He...recovered rather quickly. It was very...” Aziraphale’s brain turned to mush when Crowley licked him. “Nice...”

“Hmm.” Crowley flicked his tongue across Aziraphale’s cock, smirking at the strangled cry. “That’s good to know.”

“Uh huh.” Aziraphale squeaked out. Fuck, he loved it when his gorgeous cryptid darling made him fall apart with that talented mouth of his. “Crowley..” he slurred, burying his hands in the fire curls. Crowley licked him again, and Aziraphale howled in frustration. “Suck me...please...”

“Whatever my King wishes...” Crowley whispered in reverence before swallowing Aziraphale down and sucking hard. Aziraphale screeched in pleasure and lost himself to sensations. Crowley’s hot tongue, his sharp fangs, his lips, the heat and feel of him all around Aziraphale, the sheer joy of being buried in his love’s mouth, the pressure, full and firm, the heat growing in his lower belly, expanding to cover all of him, until he was on fire, burning in the most wonderful way, lost in the love for this astonishing being, astounded still that Crowley had chosen **him** , that Crowley loved him.

Aziraphale flew apart. When he came back to himself, Crowley had shed his tunic. He slid onto Aziraphale’s lap, and Aziraphale choked on a cry as Crowley lowered himself onto Aziraphale’s cock, his head thrown back and a silent cry of ecstasy on his face. Crowley took him in deep, then began moving. Aziraphale made a guttural, animal noise and grasped Crowley’s hips hard, thrusting up into his heat. “ Ohh,,,my love...”

“I love you, Pear, I love you so much, you are my blood and my life and my heart, I am yours, forever yours, always yours, I love you so much, you are the best of me, you are my sun, my moon, my stars, and my life, I love you I love you I love you I LOVE YOU!” Crowley screamed out as he came. Marigolds erupted from the ceiling, and carnations from the floor. Crowley waved a hand and they vanished. 

Aziraphale was nearly mindless from pleasure. He couldn’t even lift his head. Crowley let his own head fall onto Aziraphale’s shoulder. “Gnee...” the immortal said eloquently. 

“Crowley love Pear.” The Guardian whispered in the forest tongue, too overcome to bother with any semblance of human speech. 

“Hnng.” Aziraphale answered. He lifted his head up with a herculean effort. “L’ve you too.”

Crowley sighed happily and snuggled up closer. “We take bath, then go lie in bed.”

Aziraphale blinked. “Kay.” 

After they got cleaned up, they laid together in bed. Aziraphale ran his fingers through Crowley’s hair. “Do you think they’ll be able to handle our world? Newt and Ana?”

“They’ll do fine, Pear.”


	4. Life Among The Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana's magical education continues, and Newt and Aziraphale go into the village.

Chapter Four: Life Among The Village

Anathema practically leaped out of bed the next morning, so eager was she to go to the Fell Crowley household and begin her magical training. Newt, as ever, managed to calm her down enough to eat her breakfast without choking. “Crowley won’t be upset if you get some food in you. In fact, he’d probably rather have you in the best shape you can be, love. He’ll want...” A knock on the kitchen window made them both look ‘round. “Funny, I don’t remember that branch being there before.”

The branch tapped on the window. Ana stopped drinking her coffee. “Newt...I think that’s Morse. Hang on.”

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Ana grinned and gulped down the last bit of her scrambled egg, dumped the dish in the sink, and raced outside. “Hello?” She nearly had a heart attack when Crowley appeared in front of her, hanging upside down from the tree in front of her. “FUCK!” She swiped at him, and he giggled and easily dodged. “Don’t **do** that!” She had a brief moment of wondering how, if he was hanging upside down, his tunic was still covering his bits. 

Crowley dropped headfirst out of the tree. Before Ana could throw herself into another panic, he flipped in midair and landed in a crouch, then straightened up, brushed a few stray leaves off his tunic, and grinned at her. “Gotta keep you on your toes, little witch. How’s your lizard?”

Ana smacked his arm. “You scared me half to death, and Newt is fine.” Crowley’s grin didn’t falter. Ana blinked, then rubbed his arm. “Th..that’s not skin.”

“Bark.” Crowley supplied. “Specifically, tree bark.”

Ana gulped. “You...you really aren’t human.” Crowley nodded. “Were you?” 

Crowley grabbed Ana’s chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. “I was. When you are ready, little witch, you’ll know my story. But you aren’t.” He released her, and she staggered backwards. 

“I want to learn more from you. About plants, and nature, and magic, and this world. I want to know **everything.** ” Ana pleaded. Crowley smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. 

“I will teach you all I can, Ana. You have the gift inside you, otherwise this would be impossible. Newt’s got a bit of it, too. How else do you think you both were able to see me? I can cloak myself from mortal eyes.”

“Is that how Aziraphale was able to sense you?”

“Yes.”

“What sort of gift do I have? Electronic destruction?” Newt had come outside, a thermos of tea in his hands. “Hello Crowley.”

Crowley laughed. “No. What you have is curiosity. You want to know things. You ask questions, you dive in. In most mortals, that’s either non existent or stunted. At least in my experience. These el-ec-tronics, they’re things like Pear’s mobile?” Newt nodded. 

“And computers, and video cameras, and microwaves, and radios, and...” Newt trailed off, registering the supremely confused look on Crowley’s face. “You...do know what those are, right?” 

Crowley pouted. “Last family that lived in our house, the old house, the torn down house, they had big box thing called teevee. Is that an electronic?”

“Yes.” Newt answered, looking rather shocked. “It was.”

“Okay. Oh, Lizard. Pear asked me to deliver message. Says he’d like to take you into the village today, show you around.” 

Newt smiled. “Oh, how nice of him. I’d better go get ready, it’s quite a drive.” He felt his stomach drop at Crowley’s grin. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“No need car. Both of you, follow.” Crowley gestured imperiously and dashed off for the treeline. Ana and Newt ran after him. Crowley darted into the lower branches of one of his trees, crouching there. 

“What’s...going...on?” Ana panted. Crowley waved a hand, and long, thick vines dropped down, wrapping around her arms. “HEY!” 

“Relax, little witch.” Crowley said, laughing. “They mean you no harm.” He waved again, and the vines formed a seat under her. Newt was in a similar position. “My vines can take you through this forest faster than any car could.” He whistled, and the vines set off. Crowley leaped up into the branches and followed just as swiftly. 

Ana, once she got over her initial shock of being essentially tied up, found that she was having a blast. It was like being on the world’s greenest and fastest roller coaster. The view was quite nice, too. “WAHOOO!!”

Newt clung to his vines and prayed, his eyes closed tight. “AAAGGGGGHHHH!!!”

Crowley’s laughter echoed through the forest. He arrived at home first, dropping onto the roof and throwing himself through the open skylight. Aziraphale didn’t even blink as he dropped into the kitchen. “Hello dear. Here, try this.” He held out spoon with a dollop of brown sauce. Crowley obligingly licked it off. 

“Yummy! What is?”

“Caramel sauce. I’m going to be making a cheesecake, and I thought a caramel sauce would be lovely with it. Where’s Newt?”

Crowley giggled. “They’re coming.” Aziraphale  sighed. 

“Crowley, you didn’t!” Crowley cackled, and Aziraphale groaned, his head in his hands. “I’ll get some brandy ready.” 

“NEVER. AGAIN.” Newt declared as the vines deposited him and Ana right in front of the Fell-Crowley house. “You hear me, Ana? I am **never** doing that again! That was horrifying!”

“Are you insane? That was **awesome!** ” Ana replied. Newt looked at her as if she had grown an extra head. “It was exhilarating!” 

Newt wisely bit back his reply as they walked up the porch steps. Before they could knock, the door swung open and Crowley grinned at them, sharp fanged. “Did you enjoy your trip?”

Ana nodded, grinning. Newt, Crowley noted, looked even greener than his vines. 

“Crowley, stop tormenting the poor mortals.” Aziraphale came into the room, two glasses of brandy in his hands. He handed one to Newt. “Drink. It helps, trust me.” Newt gulped it down. Aziraphale started to hand one to Ana, but she shook her head. Newt snatched the second glass and drained it just as quickly. Aziraphale whistled, impressed. “My love’s vines left an impression on you.” Newt shuddered. 

Crowley blew out a breath. “Quickest way here. Now, Pear and Lizard are going into village. Pear show Lizard short cut?” Aziraphale nodded and gestured for Newt to follow him. They went into the forest. 

“Err, the village is that way.” Newt pointed in the opposite direction. Aziraphale nodded. 

“I know, and that way is an almost four hour drive. This way, it takes about ten minutes.” Newt boggled. Aziraphale turned to him, his blue eyes serious. “One thing. Do not, and I repeat, Do Not, stray from the path I take. Crowley and I know this forest, and we know its secret paths. If you meander, you may get lost in more than one way. Do you understand?” Newt nodded. “Excellent. Come along.” He started down the path, Newt trailing after. 

“Follow me, little witch.” Crowley lead Ana down to the lake. “Today’s lesson begins here.” He motioned for her to sit on the sand, then scooped up a handful of water. “Watch.” He waved his other hand over the water, and it formed itself into a ball, hovering in the air. “How do you think I did that?”

Ana thought. “Magic?” Crowley glared at her. “Umm...I don’t know.”

“Water is a living thing, little witch.” Crowley said as he made the ball into a triangle, then into a square, then into a diamond. “One of the earliest forms of life. Take a handful.” Anathema scooped up the water. “Now. Just as you did for the flower, imagine yourself as water. Water can take any shape it wishes. Picture a shape in your head. Nothing too complex. Do you have it?” Ana nodded. “Now. Tell the water to take that shape.”

“How?”

“That, little witch, you will have to find on your own.” Crowley said with a grin before diving into the lake. 

Ana stared at the water in her hand. “Umm...please become a circle?” Nothing. “I, Anathema Device, command you to be a circle!” The water remained a puddle. “Oh mighty water, I beseech thee...Oh, this is never going to work!” Ana made to fling the water out of her hand, then stared, open mouthed, at the circle hovering above. “I did it! Crowley!” 

“Hmm?” Crowley came back to shore. “Good job. How did you do it?”

“I don’t know.” 

Crowley shook his head and sat next to her. “Yes, you do.” Ana groaned. “You do know, Anathema Device. Go through it.”

“Well, asking politely wasn’t working, so I got...” Ana’s eyes widened. “I got mad!” Crowley grinned and patted her head. 

“Well done! Magic is tied to emotion. You got mad, and it worked. However, anger is not the best emotion for magic. Take it from someone who knows. Now. Try again.” 

Ana took a deep, calming breath, and waved a hand over the remaining water. It formed into a circle. “It’s working!”

“So how did you and Anathema meet?” Aziraphale asked Newt. The two of them were in the village cafe, eating sandwiches(prawn for Newt, roast beef for Aziraphale.) Newt sipped at his orange squash before answering. 

“I was in a wreck near her house. She got me patched up, called the ambulance. She came to see me in hospital, and well, it was pretty much love at first sight. She’s an amazing woman. It sometimes still boggles my mind that she chose me. I nearly choked on my own spit when she proposed. Don’t think I’ve ever said yes to anything so fast.”

“I met Crowley when I went to return some apples he had given me. I took one look at those eyes and was lost.” 

Newt could well understand that. “He does have rather unique eyes.” He pushed his chips around the plate, trying to work up the nerve to ask the question that had been burning in his brain. “Mr. Fell...sorry, Aziraphale, umm...Ana’s not in any danger, is she?” Aziraphale gaped at him, and Newt felt himself flush. “It’s just, this is new to her too, no matter how much she talked about believing in this stuff, in...magic, I don’t know if she ever really, truly thought it was real, and now we’ve both been plunged into the deep end, as it were, and...”

“Ana is safe, I promise. Crowley’s taken her on as a protegee, almost. If you’re asking me if Crowley is dangerous, the answer is yes. I told you what he did to my brother. But, if you’re asking if Crowley is dangerous to **you** , the answer is no. You have no need to fear him.” Aziraphale assured the other man. Newt sighed, visibly relaxing. “Now. What say we go and see about finding you some work?” Newt agreed, and they set off. 

After trying almost every business, and Newt having to turn down the job offers because he couldn’t work with computers, Aziraphale was feeling a bit at a loss. They were sitting on a park bench, tossing some peas they had bought at the grocer’s to the family of ducks that lived in the man made pond. “I can certainly see how this electronic aversion effects you, and not in the good way. But you are intelligent, and you do have a good grasp of numbers. How would you feel about doing inventory?”

“For who?”

“Me. I told you I owned a bookshop, right?” Newt nodded. “Well, I sold it a few months ago, and I’m slowly working my way through the books. I donated quite a few to the shop here in the village, but I still have piles and piles waiting to be sorted through, and frankly, I’d rather spend my immortal life enjoying myself and not sorting through dusty old books.” Newt gaped, and Aziraphale laughed. “I’m joking. The books are dusty, but I love them all. However, one person sorting does tend to make for very plodding work. I would pay you, of course, and any books you find that you might want, you can of course have.”

“What would I have to do?”

“Sort through piles, put aside books that are in good shape, mark ones you think can be restored-I can do that bit-and bin any that look beyond repair.”

Newt hmmed. “Sounds easy enough. What’s the pay?”

“How does 20 pound an hour sound, plus free lunch?” Aziraphale asked. Newt gaped. 

“Sounds great!”

Aziraphale grinned and held out his hand. “Then we have an arrangement. Welcome aboard, Mr. Pulsifer.” Newt grinned back and shook Aziraphale’s hand. 

“Thank you, Mr. Fell.” 


	5. To Heal Or To Harm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning sex, breakfast, and Ana learns some more.

Chapter Five: To Heal Or To Harm

“Hnngg...” Crowley groaned, arching his chest up. “Pear...” He was currently tied up with his own vines, spread-eagled on the bed that he and his mate shared. Aziraphale was sucking a hard, bruising kiss into his sternum, scratching at Crowley’s bark skin with his nails. And oh Gaia, it felt **wonderful.** Pear nipped at him, and Crowley whimpered, writhing in ecstasy. His cock was throbbing with need, but so far Aziraphale’s hands had not wandered past Crowley’s rib cage. They rested there, fingers stroking and scratching in turn, and the sensations were driving Crowley mad. “Pear, **please** ”...he knew he was begging, and he couldn’t bring himself to care. 

His hands twitched in their bonds, eager to reach out and touch the smooth, perfect flesh of his mate. Pear naked was a sight that Crowley would never tire of, a sight that he still felt privileged to see. His mate’s soft curves and smooth skin were a thing to be worshiped, to be touched, stroked, and kissed. Crowley keened, reaching out, but the vines held. Pear wanted them to hold, so hold they would. 

Crowley was so caught up in the kisses to his chest that he didn’t realize Pear had moved one of his hands until he felt it close around his cock and gently tug. Crowley screeched and arched, stretching the vines to their snapping point before collapsing back onto the pillows, panting. Pear tugged again, adding a twist of his wrist at the end, and Crowley howled. 

Aziraphale smirked to himself and slid down his mate’s body, kissing and nipping at him. Crowley was sobbing in need. “Need Pear need Pear need Pear...” he chanted, and Aziraphale briefly wondered if Crowley realized he had lapsed into Guardian Speech. He sucked a hard kiss into Crowley’s inner thigh, and above him Crowley screeched like a raven. He nosed Crowley’s balls, breathing in the sunlight and petrichor scent that was his darling.  A press of tongue to flesh elicited a bark, and Aziraphale smirked. He repositioned himself, smiled at the panting, wide eyed Guardian, then swallowed him to the hilt, sucking hard, and Crowley howled like a pack of wolves. 

Aziraphale worked him with teeth, lips, and tongue, and above him Crowley writhed in his bonds, all semblance of humanity gone as he growled, howled, chirped, hissed, and barked. Flowers of every type flowed from the vines, twined ‘round the bedposts, and trailed onto the floor. Crowley’s hair was writhing just as hard, making patterns on the bed and stroking Aziraphale all over. 

Every bud burst open when Crowley came down Aziraphale’s throat, a scream that no human mouth could have made pouring from him. He arched his back so hard that it would have meant a broken spine had he been human. 

Through his heat-lusted brain, he saw Pear move up. Blue eyes met gold, and Pear growled. “Take the vines away.”

Crowley had never vanished anything quicker in his life. He wrapped his arms and legs around his mate, and Pear lined up and slammed home with a cry. Crowley screeched anew. 

Aziraphale fucked him hard and deep, dimly thinking that it was a good thing they had prepped in advance. Crowley’s scent surrounded him, and Aziraphale felt himself getting drunk on it. Crowley’s hair was caressing the bits Crowley’s hands couldn’t, and the sensation was driving Aziraphale on to fuck harder, deeper, and faster. His immortality had come with  **amazing** stamina, and Aziraphale had taken advantage of that quite frequently. It helped having a mate that could match him move for move. 

Roses of every color burst out of the walls and ceiling as they both came at the same time, their screams making the windows rattle in their frames. Crowley fell back onto the pillows, panting, and with a tired wave made some of the roses vanish while others he directed to wind around the head of the bed and drop their thorns. He began to make the flowers covering the bedposts vanish, but Aziraphale put his hand on top and shook his head. “ Keep them?” Crowley nodded. 

Aziraphale laid there for a moment, breathing in his husband, then with a sigh got up and went into the bathroom to start the day. Morning sex always gave him a ravenous appetite, so he decided to make a Full English breakfast. 

He cleaned up, then went into the bedroom, kissed the sleeping Crowley on his head(and got a loving caress from his hair) then got dressed and padded out to the kitchen to start breakfast. 

He was halfway through when he felt Crowley’s arms wrap around him from behind, and a gentle kiss was pressed to the nape of his neck. “Morning, love.”

“Mmm...smell good.” Crowley sighed into his skin. Aziraphale knew he didn’t mean the breakfast, but he played along. 

“Yes, I always did love the smell of sausages in the morning.”

Crowley mock pouted. “Not sausages, Pear smell good. Pear make leaf juice for Crowley?”

Aziraphale groaned. “It’s called tea, and you bloody well know that, you fiend. And yes, there’s a pot warming.” Crowley kissed his cheek and went to the cupboard, pulling down the tea tin. Aziraphale flipped a sausage. “Oh, darn. As usual I’ve made too much. What shall I do?” 

Crowley selected an oolong. “No idea, Pear.” 

Aziraphale smirked and retrieved his mobile from the coffee table. “I hope it’s not too early.” He selected a contact, then pressed to dial. 

The phone was answered a few moments later. “’Lo?” Aziraphale sighed in relief. Anathema at least was awake. 

“Hello, Ana? It’s Aziraphale.”

“Yes, I recognized your picture. What’s up?”

Aziraphale stirred the eggs. “Well, I was wondering if perhaps you and Newt would care to come over for breakfast. I’ve made far too much, as I sometimes do. It’s a Full English.” He heard shuffling sounds. 

“That sounds great. Give us ten minutes to get ready?”

“Oh, of course.” Aziraphale ended the call and trotted over to the fridge, pulling out the croissant dough. Oh, he knew that a typical English had toast, but Aziraphale was anything but typical. He had also eliminated the baked beans on account of he found them disgusting(one of the few foods he couldn’t stand, no matter how well done they were), substituting fresh fruit from Crowley’s garden(which was also where the tomato had come from.)

He rolled out and shaped the croissants, popping them in the heated oven, then went back to the fridge and got out the bacon, peeling off six rashers and dropping them in the pan. 

Crowley, who had been sitting on the counter, sipping at his tea, and watching Pear in one of his many elements, hopped down at the sound of the doorbell. He snitched a piece of raw bacon, smirking at the look on Aziraphale’s face, then  went to answer the door. “Hello.”

Ana beamed at him, and Newt waved, stifling a yawn. Crowley gestured for them to come inside. “Break fast almost done.”

“It smells delicious!” Ana exclaimed. Newt yawned again and nodded. 

“It really does. Sorry, I’m not much of a morning person.” He sniffed the air. “Is that **coffee?** ” he asked, eyes wide in hope. Crowley nodded. “Oh, thank the heavens.”

After a very nice breakfast, three cups of coffee(Newt and Aziraphale), and two pots of tea(Ana and Crowley), Crowley turned to Ana. “I hadn’t planned on a lesson today, but I could show you what I used to do when I was human to earn a living, if you like?” Ana nodded. Aziraphale looked over at Newt. 

“Talking of that, would you like to see the books? Make sure you’re not getting in too deep?”

“Sounds good to me.” 

Aziraphale cleaned up(Ana tried to help, but was gently rebuffed) then motioned for Newt to follow him. They stopped at the end of the hall, in front of a locked door. Aziraphale unlocked it, stepping aside so Newt could enter. 

Newt had to admit, it was nowhere near as bad as he thought. Oh, there were books everywhere, but there was a clear path between them and none of the piles looked in danger of toppling over. Really, the worst thing was that moldy, musty smell that some old books have. “It’s...not as bad as I thought. To be honest, I thought I’d open the door and be buried. Where do you want me to start?” 

Aziraphale blinked. “Oh. Um...anywhere you like. There’s a notepad and pens in that desk.” He pointed to a desk shaped lump covered in books in the right hand corner. “I guess I’ll leave you to it. But you don’t have to.”

“No, no, I want to. Believe it or not, this will relax me.”

Aziraphale gri nned. “Knew we were friends for a reason.”

Crowley led Anathema into the garden, heading straight for the back. “What do you know of herbal medicine?”

Ana’s face lit up. “My Granny Tracy is big into herbal medicine. She takes ginko balboa, and drinks herbal tea, and makes sachets that help people sleep.”

Crowley shook his head, amused. He sat down, patting the ground. Ana sat next to him. Crowley reached out and plucked a plant from the nearby bed. “What’s this?”

Ana took it, turning it over in her hands. “I don’t know.”

“Echinacea. Used for coughs, colds, that sort of thing. You make it into a tea and give it to the sick person twice a day.” He plucked another plant. “Peppermint. Good for nausea and other stomach problems. Also good for menstruation.” Ana snatched the plant out of his hands, and he laughed. “This whole bed here is the medicinal plants, and I know each and every one of their properties. Would you like to learn to make proper herbal medicine, the kind that actually helps people?”

“Yes, please.”

Crowley grinned. “Then first things first. Time for a lesson in plant identification. This is especially important, because so many toxic plants look like healthy ones.” 

Ana proved to be a very quick study, much to Crowley’s delight. “Well done, little witch.” 

“There’s just one thing I don’t get. You obviously are immune to plant poisons, and I assume getting sick.” Crowley nodded. “Are these for Aziraphale?”

“The peppermint is, because he likes using it in his cooking, along with a few others.”

“So why have all the rest?” 

Crowley grinned. “Why not?” Ana decided not to argue. 

“Can you make...um...”

“Are you asking me if I know how to brew poison?” Crowley asked, his face grave. Ana didn’t say anything. “Why are you asking?”

“I just want to know. Honest. I’m not planning anything.” 

“Little witch, I could call up a plant that would kill you within seconds of it touching you. I can create vines with thorns so sharp that you don’t know they’ve pierced your flesh until you see your blood raining down. I can make flowers that steal your breath away. I do not need to brew anything.” Crowley growled, his pupils white. Ana dug her hands into the soil, shaking. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ask.” 

Crowley blinked, and his pupils returned to their gold color. He loomed over Ana, grasping her chin in a vice grip. “Word to the wise, little witch. Do not evoke my Guardian Form. You may not be so lucky next time.”

“G...Guardian Form?” 

“The form I take when I am truly angry. I lose every bit of humanity, and odds are I won’t recognize you. I have manifested it twice. Once was to save the life of my husband.”

Ana gulped. “W..When was the other time?”

Crowley’s smile was not remotely friendly. Ana felt as though she was a small insect. “The night I took my revenge on the villagers for burning me.”

“You were burned at the stake?” 

Crowley cocked his head. “They dragged me from my bed, kicking and screaming. Can you imagine it, little witch? Me, who had never done anyone harm, being tied to my own house, having to listen as they burned my plants, then feeling the same flames touching my skin.” 

Ana whimpered. “Crowley, you’re hurting me...” 

Crowley released her. Ana rubbed her chin. “I’m sorry, little witch. The memory of my death, it still haunts me.”

Ana  couldn’t say she blamed him. “When did you die?”

“1713.” Crowley shut his eyes. “They called me a demon, and beat me before they burned me.”

“Is that why you don’t go into the village?” 

Crowley nodded. “The memories overwhelm me. I know the ones that did it are long since dust, but some things cannot be forgiven or forgotten, no matter how long the passage of time.”

Anathema took his hand. “I don’t think you’re a demon. You’re my friend, and my teacher.”

“You still want to learn, even though I hurt you?”

“Of course.”

Crowley beamed at her. “Then pay attention, little witch. There’s more to come.”

Ana grinned. She couldn’t wait. 


	6. Letters And Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana writes to her Aunt Agnes, learns some more from Crowley(and about Crowley)

Chapter Six: Letters And Lessons

‘Dear Aunt Agnes:

I’m writing this letter because out of all the members of the family, you and Granny Tracy are most likely the ones that will believe me. (I’m writing her a separate letter, just in case this one gets lost in the mail.) As you know, Newt and I have moved into your old lake house. It’s beautiful, Aunt Agnes. But that’s not why I’m writing.

Our neighbors across the lake are magical. Not ‘magical’ in the sense that they’re really nice(which they are), but honest and truly magical. One of them, Aziraphale Fell, is an immortal who was once a human telepath. But it’s the other one, Crowley, that I want to tell you about.

He’s a Fairy, Aunt Agnes. Again, not in the...derogatory sense. He can control plants and do magic. His skin is tree bark, and his hair is always moving, like it has a life of its own. He can be very scary, but also very nice, and he is madly in love with Aziraphale, calling him his mate and sometimes his King.

Crowley has hinted that he was human once, a very long time ago, and that his transformation into a fairy was not entirely of his own volition. He also doesn’t have the weakness to iron that most fairies seem to have.

I’ve saved the most astonishing bit for last. Crowley is teaching me magic! Remember how you and Granny Tracy used to tell Mom and Dad that there was something special about me? It turns out I have this enormous source of untapped potential inside me. So far I’ve learned how to make a plant sprout from a seed, how to manipulate water, and how to concoct healing potions(which is what Crowley did when he was human, and must have been very good at.)

Mr. Fell also has some powers, transferred over when he became immortal. Like me, he can make plants grow from a seed. But he can also talk to them, and he heals very fast. Newt and I were over for lunch one day and Aziraphale cut his finger. The wound closed up. He and Newt get along very well. Newt is helping him to organize his books(Mr. Fell once owned a bookstore in Soho, but had to sell it because the commune would have been too much), and they both can spend hours discussing the perils of modern tech, Newt because he breaks everything and Aziraphale because I think he’d be happy if technology had ended at the telegraph(I told him this and he snarked that he wasn’t **that** old).

Did you know about Crowley, Aunt Agnes? Mom always teased you for knowing things, so did you know about him? 

Anyway, I’d better go. Aziraphale and Crowley are coming over for lunch, and I can’t wait to find out what Crowley is going to be teaching me. 

All my love,

Anathema. 

P.S.: Give Granny Tracy a big hug from her favorite(and only) granddaughter.’

“So what’s on the agenda today, Crowley?” Ana asked, her face eager. Crowley nibbled on a carrot. 

“Well, how would you like to learn to control the weather?” He asked, his face perfectly straight. Ana snorted. 

“Come on, I’m being serious.” Crowley’s expression didn’t change. “You can’t really control the weather. Can you?!”

Crowley cracked a smile. “To some extent, yes. Come outside with me.” Ana followed him out. It was a bright, sunny day. The sort of day for picnics and just enjoying the outdoors. “Now, watch.” Crowley made a gesture, and Ana gaped as water fell from the clear blue sky, soaking her to the bone. 

“That’s not funny.” She said, frowning at the look on Crowley’s face. “You just moved the lake water.”

Crowley hooted. “Have to keep you on your toes, little witch. Dry yourself off.”

“How?”

Crowley shrugged and laid back on the grass, his hands behind his head. “I moved the water out of the lake, you move it back.” 

Ana made a face, trying to remember her lesson. She placed her hand on the top of her head, then ran it down her body, gathering up the water and forming it into a giant sphere. She looked into it, then at the lake, and with a wicked smirk sent it right at Crowley. The Guardian yawned lazily and waved his hand. The sphere burst into a million tiny droplets that vanished before they could even touch him. “That’s not fair!” Ana cried out, her arms crossed. Crowley shrugged. 

“Wasn’t meant to be. Come here, sit.” He patted the grass next to him. Ana sat. “So as you can guess, the weather can’t really be controlled. But it can be manipulated. Rain doesn’t bother me, because I am waterproof. Still hate it though. It’s damp and cold. So I manipulate things so that it doesn’t rain too much in my forest. Just enough to keep my trees and plants alive. But that is one lesson I couldn’t teach you, because it’s...something tied intricately to me. Do you understand?” 

Ana frowned. “I think so. But then what’s today’s lesson?”

Crowley scooped up a handful of grass. “Hold your hand out.” Ana did, and Crowley dropped the grass in. “Grass is a plant. You’ve seen baskets made of grass, yes?” A nod. “That’s what I’m going to teach you.”

“How to weave baskets?”

Crowley poked her forehead. “No, little witch. How to weave grass. Watch.” He scooped up his own handful, then held his hand flat and waved his other hand over. The grasses began to move, then weave themselves into an intricate pattern. Crowley finished, and Ana gaped. There in his hand was a rose woven from grass. “Just like before. Imagine a shape. Hold the grass flat in one hand.”

Ana wiggled her fingers. The grass lay there, still grass. “Am I doing it wrong?”

“Yes. Stop trying to copy me. The motions I make work for the magic I use. It’s different from what you’re tapping into. You look like you’re trying to conduct an orchestra with an inch long baton. Find your rhythm.” 

Ana closed her eyes, and made a circular motion with her free hand. “Open your eyes, little witch.” Ana did, and grinned. Her pile of grass had become a(rather crude) diamond. “Good job. Now, that’s part one of this lesson. Part two is a bit trickier, and I’ll teach it to you when you come to me with a basket full of grasses that you’ve woven. And they all have to be perfect.”

“That’ll take weeks!” Ana moaned, and Crowley laughed. 

“No it won’t.” He dumped some more grass into Ana’s lap. “There. Start practicing. I’m going swimming.”

Ana groaned, staring at the greenery. Well, she had said she wanted to learn this stuff, and Crowley was a really good teacher. 

She just wished he wasn’t such a bastard at times. 

‘My darling Anathema:

I’m so glad to know that the lake house is being put to its proper use, as a home for a young couple. You and Newt will, of course, be very happy there. I know it. 

I do of course believe every word you said about your neighbors, especially the one that is called Crowley. I never had the privilege of meeting him myself, but I know him from stories and legends among the villagers. 

See, I had noticed something strange about that forest. It never seemed to catch on fire, never seemed to have any dead trees or plants, and had this aura of magic surrounding it. You know I’ve always been receptive to that sort of thing, which is where you got it from. So I went into the village and asked around. Most people only knew what their mothers had told them, and what their mothers had told them, and on and on. But then I looked into the church records, courtesy of a very nice Vicar, and found mention of a ‘red haired demon’ that used vines laden with thorns to terrorize the villagers. Well, you know me(I’m named for the witch who got herself blown up on purpose), not one to take things at face value, so I did some more digging, and I found something  **very** interesting. It seems that the priest of the village had a lot more at stake than just his parishioner’s souls when he led the mob to Anthony’s(that’s Crowley’s human name, from what I’ve gleaned) house.  If you wish, I can send you everything I found out.

Give Newt my love, and all my love to you. And I hope the lessons go well.

Agnes.’ 

Anathema stared at the box on the porch. She had, of course, written back to Aunt Agnes and practically begged for the information. She picked the box up and carried it inside, idly waving a hand to get her water going for tea. Newt was sipping on his own cup. “What’s that?”

“Stuff Aunt Agnes found out about Crowley.” She set the box on the counter and fetched a knife, slicing the top open. “A book?” She lifted it out. It was a medium size, bound in leather that was cracking. “An old book.”

Newt held out a hand, and Ana passed it over. “It’s a diary. There’s a name on front. Hang on, it’s really faded.” He slanted the book towards the light. “Father George Richards. Hmm.”

Ana frowned. “I don’t dare try to open it. Think Aziraphale could?” 

“We could go ask. Just let me finish my tea.”

“And so Aunt Agnes sent me this, but it’s really old and I’m afraid if I try to open it I’ll break the spine or something.” Ana explained, sipping at her Coke. Aziraphale ran a finger down the spine. 

“Yes, I can see why you’d be worried. This is in rather poor shape. But I can get it open. It may take a few moments.” He flipped the book over on its back, then placed his hand on the front and slowly eased it open. It opened with a crackling of pages and a scattering of dust. Ana sneezed. “Bless you. Now, let’s see what we have.” 

The first few pages weren’t very interesting, just Father George remarking on his new assignment, how nice the village was, and how remarkable the forest was. 

But then Aziraphale came across an entry that made him stop. “Listen to this.” He cleared his throat and began reading. “Today I rode my mare to the lake, intending to take advantage of the weather, when I noticed a house. Thinking that I had missed one of my parishioners, I decided to stop by and say hello. When I arrived, the house was empty, but I could hear someone talking. My curiosity piqued, I dismounted and went over to the side of the house, where the voice was coming from. The sight I saw chilled the blood in my veins. 

A man was there, and he was wrapped in vines. They were caressing him, and he was cooing to them. As I watched, a flower grew from the ground, far swifter than what is natural.  The man patted it, and the flower wove itself into his hair. 

I raced for my mare and the safety of my church. The poor villagers, having to live with such an unnatural and evil creature in their midst. Something must be done.”

Crowley had come into the room. “He preached against me, called me a monster and a demon until even the villagers that grudgingly accepted me turned against me. He caused me to be driven out of the village with rocks, bottles, and sticks. But that wasn’t enough for him. His righteousness wouldn’t allow him to permit a demon to live so close. He was doing God’s work, ridding the village of a pestilent influence.” He said bitterly, sitting next to Aziraphale and resting his head on his shoulder. The immortal ran his free hand through Crowley’s hair. 

“There’s a few more entries, talking about you, calling you all sorts of horrid names.” Aziraphale flipped to the last entry, dated September 7, 1713. 

“I am damned. The creature that once called itself Anthony Crowley has returned from the Infernal Pit, changed by his lord and master Satan into a demon that has devastated the village. I thought for sure that he could not enter the sacred Church, but I was wrong. He has utterly destroyed it. He snapped the Holy Cross in two like it was nothing, and his demon vines have reduced the pews and statues to kindling and rubble. He left me alive, though I do not know why. I have failed as a priest and as a righteous man. I know now that my soul is forever damned by my actions.

I will leave this diary in the Tabernacle. It, miraculously, remains intact. I suppose even demons have qualms about the Host. To all the priests that come after me, be wary. The demon is still out there, and the forest is its Domain.”

Aziraphale closed the diary. “ What happened to him?”

Crowley chuckled mirthlessly. “He hanged himself in the vestry.” 

Ana and Newt gasped. Crowley’s eyes flashed white. “He claimed to be a man of God, yet he preached hatred and intolerance towards me. I did not weep for him then, and I will not weep for him now. I can only hope that his soul is screaming in Hell.” He pushed the diary towards Ana. “Take that back. I have no wish to have it here.” 

Aziraphale flipped to the last page. “Crowley, he drew you!” Sure enough, on the very last page was a drawing of Crowley in full Guardian Form. Ana gasped. 

“Is that…?” Even in a picture, Crowley was terrifying. “Guardian Form?” 

“Yess.” Crowley hissed, showing teeth gone sharp. “Would you like to ssseee it in real life?” His hair began twisting and writhing, sparks flying from the ends. “It’sss sssucch a lovely ssiight...” His hands curled into claws, and his nails began to lengthen into talons. Electricity and ozone sparked in the air, and Crowley’s hair became a mass of twisting flame. “Sssoo pretty...ssoo scary...”

“Crowley, STOP.” Aziraphale grabbed Crowley’s shoulders, forcing him to look into his eyes. “Stop. Come back to me, my love. You are terrifying Ana and Newt.” 

“Sssoo prettty...” 

“Darling, come back.” 

Crowley’s entire body shuddered, and as quickly as it began, it was over. “I...I am so sorry.” 

Ana’s heart was still pounding, but she reached out and placed her hand on Crowley’s. “It’s okay.”

Crowley squeezed her hand gently. “Thank you, little witch.”


	7. The Value of Kindness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana's lessons continue, and she learns more about Crowley.

Chapter Seven: The Value of Kindness

In the somewhat awkward silence that followed, Aziraphale pushed the diary back towards Newt. “You’d best take this back with you.” Newt, still white-faced, nodded. “As you can see it...provoked a rather visceral reaction in Crowley.”

Crowley looked down at his hands, now back to normal, then uttered a keening wail and bolted from the table, nearly ripping the door off its hinges as he fled the human dwelling. Anathema stood and began to go after him, but Aziraphale stopped her. “You won’t be able to reach him, dear. I need to go after him. If you two wish to leave for good, I will understand.”

Ana shook her head. “No. I’m learning so much from both of you. When you talk to him, tell him it’s okay, and he doesn’t have to worry.” Aziraphale nodded, then headed out.

Crowley watched from the trees as Pear came closer. Shame-faced, Crowley blended in with the trunk. Pear stopped at the tree Crowley was hidden in. “Darling, you know I can sense you, even if you’re cloaked. I always could.” He looked straight into Crowley’s eyes. “Why are you hiding?”

Crowley came forward on the branch, head bowed. “Scare friend.”

“Darling, she’s recovered. And she still wants to learn from you.” Aziraphale reached out and stroked his love’s face. “But that’s not the whole reason, is it, my Guardian?”

“No. Book bring bad thinks. Priest thinks. Burning.” Crowley replied, nuzzling into Aziraphale’s hand. “Know Little Witch not mean it. Tell her come out. Just her. Need talk.” Aziraphale turned and went back into the house. A few moments later, Anathema came out.

“Crowley? Where are you?”

Crowley faded back into the trunk. “Find me.” Anathema peered intently at the tree he was in, then stepped forward. Crowley smiled as she came right up to the trunk, placing her hand on it. “Good job, little witch.”

Ana gaped in astonishment. “How did you do that? Can you teach me?”

Crowley stepped forward, making it look like he had stepped out of the tree. “Yes, I can. But first, we need to talk. You’ve seen my Guardian Form now. Well, an abridged version. The diary spoke of a demon wrapped in vines that pierced the flesh.”

“Yeah.”

Crowley gestured for her to stand back, then waved a hand. Vines sprouted from the ground covered in thorns. The thorns were the longest and sharpest ones Anathema had ever seen in her life. They seemed to glisten with malice and hatred. “These are the deadliest weapons I have. They can burrow into flesh and drive mortals mad with pain. That was the fate for my love’s brother, after he tried to kill Aziraphale. He’s in an asylum, forever bound lest he scratch himself to death. These thorns pierced the flesh of the false priest, after he claimed to be a man of kindness and decency and drove the villagers into a frenzy of hatred. When I was born, the midwife tried to kill me because of my eyes, and I called forth these for the first time. When my parents resorted to beating and exorcisms, these protected me as I fled into the forest.” He waved his hand, and the vines vanished into the earth. “If you see these vines, than I am truly angry, and your best bet is to get as far away as you can.” Ana nodded. “Now, cloaking. It’s not invisibility, so get that notion out of your head. There’s no formula like in that book.”

“No Invisibility Cloak, either?” Crowley blinked at her, confusion on every line of his face. “You know, like in Harry Potter?”

“Who?”

Ana gaped. “The wizard? Hogwarts?” Crowley looked even more lost. “Oh man, don’t tell me Aziraphale doesn’t read Harry Potter! I devoured those books growing up. They’re what made me want to learn magic!” She gushed. Crowley just shook his head.

“If we could get back to cloaking. What it is, boiled down to its essence, is hiding. Come with me.” He stood in one graceful motion, waiting patiently for Ana to clamber to her feet.

“Don’t suppose you could teach me that, too?” She groused. Crowley laughed and shook his head.

“This comes from centuries of practice, little witch.” He led her over to a sapling. “We’ll start small. Tell me what color this tree is.”

“Brown?”

Crowley shook his head. “No. Be more specific. What color browns do you see in it?”

Ana stepped closer, placing her hand on the bark. “Umm...sort of chocolate brown, and this is brown like...like a bookshelf I had when I was a kid, and this is dark brown, like molasses.” She looked over at Crowley, who grinned.

“Very good. Now, imagine your hand in those colors.”

Ana gasped as her hand began to become the same color as the trunk. “It’s working!”

“Very good, little witch. Now, tell me how the tree feels.”

“It’s...rough, but very cool. There’s a knot just under my index finger, and a piece of wood is poking my pinkie.” Crowley smiled.

“Make your hand an extension of the bark.”

Ana took a deep breath and focused. Her hand vanished. “I did it!” She whooped in joy. “I can still see my hand, though.”

Crowley blinked. “Well, yeah. Cloaking makes you unseen by others, not yourself. That’s why it’s not invisibility. Try it with the other hand.”

Ana cloaked her other hand, then moved on to her arms and legs, pressing herself flat against the trunk until all that could be seen was her hair and clothing. “Clothes are a bit more difficult, but manageable.” Crowley told her.

“Is that why you don’t wear any?” Ana snarked, side eying his tunic. Crowley giggled.

“Oh, I’ve worn far less than this, little witch. Especially if Pear and I are having a marathon session.”

“Ack! Don’t want to know that!” Ana cried out, covering her ears. Crowley cackled. “Did you always, I mean, wear those?”

“No, I wore human clothes when I was mortal. Nothing fancy, though. Made them all myself.”

“Really?!”

“Mm hmm. See, when I was human, going to London was an ordeal, so I had fabric delivered and made all my own clothes.”

“I made this dress!” Ana blurted out. Crowley looked impressed. “My Granny Tracy, she’s Aunt Agnes’ sister, and she’s a seamstress, among other things. She taught me how to sew.”

“It’s a skill that seems sadly lacking in these days.” Crowley said with a sigh. “Right. So cloaking against a tree is easy enough. Just stand in front of where you want to hide and fade. Cloaking with nothing around is harder. Come on, we’re going down to the lake.”

Ana followed Crowley down to the water. Crowley stepped into the lake, then faced her. “Watch.” He slowly vanished from sight. Ana gasped. Crowley faded back into view.

“Okay, how?!”

“Come stand in the water.” Crowley ordered. Ana kicked off her shoes and socks and came into the lake, lifting up her skirt so it didn’t get wet. “Cloaking in water is almost the same as on land, but not exactly the same. It’s more sensations than colors. Water is clear, but seen from different angles it has color. You know already how to manipulate it. This is just taking it one step further. Did you notice my hands?” Ana shook her head. “Okay, watch.”

Crowley dunked his hands in the water, then lifted them above his head. “Now, in water manipulation, I would just...” he waved his hand, and the water formed itself into a complex pattern. “But with cloaking, it’s a matter of getting the spectrum right. So.” He made a complex gesture, and the water became a pillar. Crowley gestured again, and the pillar vanished. Ana gaped.

“It’s gone!”

“No, it’s not. It’s just on a different wavelength. Put your hand out.” Ana did, and gasped again.

“So, what, I have to be on a different frequency?”

“In a way, yes.”

“Wait. How do you know about wavelengths and frequencies? You died in 1713!”

“Aziraphale. He has a whole section of science books, and he became determined that I needed to learn what advances the world had made. And though I didn’t realize it, a lot of my powers use wavelengths. Now, get some water.” Ana scooped up a handful. “Do like I did, form the pillar.”

It took a few tries, but Ana managed to form a pillar close to Crowley’s. “Now what?”

“When you change the shape of the water you’re manipulating, you can feel it vibrate, right?” A nod. “Do that, only on a different length. A higher pitch.”

After ten tries, Ana was reaching the end of her patience. “I can’t do it!”

“Yes, you can. Imagine...imagine a harp. Low note, that’s the normal vibration of the water.” Crowley hummed a note. “Make that note.”

Ana hummed. The water trembled.

“Good. Now go up one note.” Crowley hummed, a bit higher, and Ana copied him. One section of the pillar began to fade. “You’re getting it. Up one more.” A sharp, clear whistle, which was copied.

Slowly, the pillar of water faded from view. Ana gasped in delight. “I did it! Now what?”

“Step into it. If you’ve done it right, you’ll be cloaked, but you won’t get wet.”

Ana gulped and stepped in. “It worked!”

“Well done, little witch. Well done.”

Ana stepped out of the pillar, bone dry. “Can I ask you something?” Crowley nodded. “You’ve said why you decided to reveal yourself to me and Newt, because we looked like nice people. Was that why you revealed yourself to Aziraphale? And have you shown yourself to other humans?”

Crowley sat cross legged on the grass. Ana sat in front of him, every inch the eager student. “I showed myself to Aziraphale because he sensed me, something that no human had ever done unless I wanted them to. I was curious about him. He was...so kind to me, and I had not felt kindness in centuries. I fell into love so fast it made me dizzy. The worst pain I ever went through was when he became immortal.”

“Why? I thought him being immortal was a good thing.”

“Oh, it is. But the process nearly killed him. My...change was horrible, but seeing the man I loved go through his own agony, even if he had full knowledge of what might happen, was like being stabbed with my own thorns, over and over. Worse still was the knowledge that I provided the means.”

“It must have been worth it. When I first met you two, your auras were so bright and beautiful. You only see that in couples that are truly in love.”

Crowley smiled. “Aziraphale is worth **everything.** ”

“Yeah, so is Newt. Speaking of our men, should we head back inside? I’m sure they’re wondering what’s become of us.”

Crowley laughed, then took Ana’s hand. “You are a remarkable one, little witch.”

Ana beamed, and together they walked up to the house.


	8. Still of The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first night of spring means Crowley is ravenous for his Pear...

Chapter Eight: Still Of The Night

Aziraphale dried off the last of the dinner dishes. Newt and Ana had come over for dinner, which was becoming a regular occurrence. Not that Aziraphale minded. He and Newt got on famously, as did Ana and Crowley. Anathema was proving to be a very adept pupil, and Crowley a patient and thorough teacher. Of course, Newt got on with Crowley, and Ana with Aziraphale, so there was no tensions.

Normally after dinner Crowley would grill Ana on whatever magical subject he had taught her that day while Newt and Aziraphale took the time to discuss which books still needed to be sorted through, what gossip there was in the village, or just simply discuss their favorite books.

So Aziraphale was a bit surprised when, once the ham had been eaten and the trifle devoured, Crowley had very curtly ordered the humans to leave. “No test tonight. Go home.” Puzzled, Ana and Newt had left, and a very confused Aziraphale had set to doing the dishes.

He was still muddling over what happened when he felt Crowley press against him from behind, pulling him flush against his hot, hard and…

“You’re naked.” Aziraphale moaned. The moan got louder when Crowley sank sharp fangs into his neck, at the same time rutting hard against Aziraphale’s clothed backside. “Fffuuckk...”

“Know what tonight is, Pear?” Crowley growled, grabbing Aziraphale’s shirt in his hands and pulling it off before pressing his hot flesh to his mate’s coolness. “Tonight very special.”

Aziraphale was trying to think through the haze of pleasure. “Is it the night we met?” A low, dark chuckle, and Crowley tore off his trousers like they were made of paper. Aziraphale’s cock was already iron hard from the brutal, sucking kisses Crowley was marking on his neck, so when Crowley took hold of it in his bark smooth hand, it took every ounce of power to not come right then. Crowley’s other hand traced the cleft of Aziraphale’s ass, and the immortal made a noise that could only be described as a squeal.

“No, Pear. First night of spring. Know what that mean?”

“Oh...godd...” Aziraphale did indeed know what that meant. Crowley was astonishingly virile every month of the year, of course, but in the spring he became ravenous for Aziraphale, sometimes keeping him in bed for days at a time. Not that Aziraphale minded. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Crowley turned Aziraphale around, staring at him with such dark desire that the immortal felt his knees going weak. “Pear...” Crowley snarled his name before pinning him against the sink and kissing him as though his life depended on it. Aziraphale kissed back, plunging his tongue deep into Crowley’s mouth and sucking as hard as he could. Crowley dug his fingers deep into the smooth globes of Aziraphale’s ass, pulling their bodies flush and letting their hardened cocks rub together. Aziraphale squealed again.

Crowley scooped Aziraphale up, still kissing him, and carried him to their bedroom, laying them both down on the bed. Aziraphale wiggled into the pillows, moaning into his love’s mouth. Crowley’s hand closed over both their cocks, and the Guardian tugged upwards. Aziraphale howled, writhing. Crowley bit hard on Aziraphale’s lower lip before moving to his chest. He gave Aziraphale’s nipple a hard suck, then bit down, and Aziraphale screamed, arching his back. Crowley repeated the action with the left nipple, and Aziraphale sobbed in wanton pleasure. “Crowley...”

“Shh, Pear. Crowley make you feel so wonderful, my sweet one.” Crowley growled into his sternum. He sucked a bruising kiss there, scraping it with his fangs, and Aziraphale whined. “Crowley, please...”

Crowley made his way down his mate’s perfect body, biting and sucking kisses into the smooth flesh. His Pear tasted so very good, and Crowley would never get enough of him. When he reached Pear’s hard and leaking cock, Crowley pressed the tip of his tongue to the tip, lapping at the beads of moisture like a cat licking a bowl of milk. Pear’s seed was so delicious, so sweet and hot. Crowley took a bit into his mouth, sucking, and Aziraphale made a high, gibbering moan.

Crowley slowly took him to the hilt, sucking as he went. Above him, Aziraphale had been reduced to simply groaning, the pleasure too much to form any sort of coherent noise. Crowley scraped Aziraphale’s balls with one sharp finger, and Aziraphale bucked into his mouth with an incoherent growl. Crowley did love it when his Pear fucked into his mouth, but tonight he wanted to wring every drop of pleasure he could from his love. So with a snap of his free hand, he conjured his vines, ordering them to tie Aziraphale to the bed.

Aziraphale nearly combusted from pleasure when he felt himself being gently spread eagled by Crowley’s vines and then tied to the bedposts. “Oh god...”

“Turnabout is fair play, Pear.” Crowley smirked at him before returning to his feast, devouring Aziraphale’s cock like a condemned man eating a last meal. Aziraphale could only whine, his head thrown back against the headboard and his eyes rolling into the back of his skull as Crowley sent him over the precipice. Aziraphale was sure his scream when he came rattled the windows.

Crowley licked him clean, then sat up on his haunches. “Going to keep you tied. That okay?”

At this point Aziraphale would have let Crowley fuck him with one of his vines if he wanted. He nodded frantically. Crowley smiled and called up the Berry. Aziraphale watched, drooling and almost incoherent with need as he slicked up his cock, then three fingers, pressing them deep into Aziraphale. The immortal shrieked. “Crowley!”

Crowley scooted forward, lined himself up, then slammed into Aziraphale so hard that the bed rocked backward, hitting the wall. Aziraphale screamed. “YES!” Crowley smashed their mouths together in a hot, hard, bruising kiss, then wrapped both hands around the headboard and proceeded to fuck Aziraphale into oblivion.

The bed rocked, hitting the wall so hard that it was leaving marks. Aziraphale grasped the headboard, his fingers digging in so deep that flakes of iron were becoming embedded in the flesh. With each powerful thrust, Crowley drove him further and further against it, until he was bracing himself to keep from hitting his head.

Crowley snapped his fingers and the vines melted away. Aziraphale locked his legs around Crowley’s waist and pulled him in deeper, while at the same time grabbing two handfuls of Crowley’s ass. Crowley changed angles, hitting Aziraphale’s prostate in a way that made the other man see stars. Aziraphale’s cock rubbed against the smooth, hard planes of Crowley’s stomach, and Crowley reached between their bodies and stroked it. Aziraphale gibbered.

“I love you so much, my Pear, my mate, my King. You are my sun, moon, and stars, my reason for being. I will never stop loving you. Let go for me, my love.”

Aziraphale flew apart, screaming Crowley’s name as he came over and over. Crowley came seconds later, his own scream echoing. Aziraphale blinked sleepily at him. “My turn next.”

Crowley laughed and kissed him. “Of course.”

The next morning, Crowley went over to Newt and Anathema’s house. Ana was of course delighted to see him. Newt made him some tea. “Where’s Aziraphale?”

Crowley smirked as he sipped his tea. “I wore him out, he’s still sleeping.” Ana giggled, and Newt blushed. “In case you were wondering, that’s why I kicked you out last night. Spring is coming, and, well...”

“You needed to pollinate?” Ana quipped. Crowley glared at her.

“I’m not a plant, Anathema. But yes. My mating...instinct goes into overdrive when it’s spring. Pear knows this, and well, he’s got no complaints.”

Newt blushed crimson. “I guess he wouldn’t.”

Crowley looked over at Ana. “So how often do you two mate?” This time both humans went red, and Crowley grinned. “That often, huh?” Ana cleared her throat very loudly.

“Right. Well, what’s the lesson for today?” She asked, her voice only slightly squeaky.

Crowley sipped at his tea. “Pollinating.” He dodged the napkin Ana threw at him. “I’m being serious. Come outside.”

Ana and Newt followed him outside. Newt had decided he was going to go see Aziraphale, and get some more work done on book inventory. Once he had left, Crowley led Ana over to a bare patch of grass. “What do you know about pollination?”

“Well, I know it’s something bees do, and it makes honey.”

Crowley nodded. “Bees are very important. No bees, no fruit. Now, important question. You aren’t allergic to bee stings? Pear’s told me that’s a thing to be careful of.”

“Nope.”

“Good.” Crowley whistled, long and low. Ana frowned.

“Nothing happened.”

Crowley held up a hand. “Listen.” Ana strained her ears. Now she could hear a low humming sound. It came closer, and now she could see that it was being made by a swarm of bees, heading right for them. She started to climb to her feet, ready to bolt. Crowley stopped her with a look. He held out his arm, and the bees landed on it, buzzing. Crowley was humming, a low, continuous droning sound that mimicked the bees buzzes. “Do you have a seed?”

Ana carefully reached into her pocket and pulled out a packet of seeds. She had taken to carrying one with her, so she could practice. She tore the packet open and dumped the seeds into her hands.

“You’re going to have to scatter them a bit.” Crowley instructed, and Ana did so. “Okay. Now I know you know how to make the plant grow from a single seed. This is a bit more complex, and the bees need to be involved at first. Make one of the plants flower.”

Ana waved a hand, and the seed nearest to her buried itself in the soil. Another wave, and a red carnation grew out of the ground. Crowley nodded in approval. “Hold your hand out.” Ana held out her hand, and one of the bees detached itself from Crowley’s arm and flew over, landing on her palm. “Now. Making a large patch of flowers or plants grow, like this..” Crowley waved a hand and a bed of roses appeared. He waved again and they vanished. “Is easy enough for me. For you, it’s still possible, you just need one extra step. Pollen. Tell the bee to go to the flower.” Crowley hummed, and Ana copied him. The bee flew over to the flower. “Now. Bring it back. Same tune.” Ana hummed, and the bee flew over to her, landing once again on her palm. “Do you see the pollen?”

“That yellow stuff, right?” Crowley nodded. “What do I do?”

“Pull it off the bee. Like you take water droplets off, and make it into a ball.”

It took a few tries, with Ana sure that she was going to get stung, but eventually she managed. “Now what?”

“Expand it, send it into where the seeds went, and make the flowers grow.” Crowley said, calling up an apple and biting into it. The bees on his arm buzzed, then flew off. “Well, go on.”

“All of them?!” Ana blurted out. “I’ve only ever done one at a time! There’s...” she looked at the packet. “There’s sixty seeds in this thing! I can’t do that many at once!”

“Of course you can. Expand the pollen. Imagine it’s a piece of taffy. Stretch it.” Crowley instructed. Ana placed her hands on either side of the yellow sphere and pulled them apart. The pollen expanded. “Good job. Now, send it to the seeds. You remember where they are?” Ana nodded, and sent the pollen into the ground. “Okay. Now. Focus on what the flowers will look like. Picture them coming up out of the soil, reaching for the sun.”

Ana held out her arm, then made the gesture she did when coaxing a single plant from a seed, bringing her fingers together as she pulled upwards.

Carnations of every color burst out of the ground, their petals opening in a riot of rainbows. Ana let her arm drop. “I did it!”

Crowley plucked a carnation and tucked it behind her ear. “Yes you did, little witch. Yes you did.”

Ana grinned from ear to ear.


	9. The Immortal and The Muggle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aziraphale and Newt spend some time together.

Chapter Nine: The Immortal And The Muggle

Upon first meeting Newton Pulsifer, people came to the following conclusions: That he was nerdy(he was), that he was marginally intelligent(he had, in fact, tested very high in those sort of tests, when he had taken them) and that he was easily flustered. This last bit was not true. In fact, the only thing that truly flustered him was his long standing ability, or curse, to make any electric object do the exact opposite of what he wanted it to do. Namely, work properly.

When he had been younger, his curse had led to the man from the electric company coming over so many times that Newt had started calling him Uncle Joe. Uncle Joe was a tall, sardonic man in his late fifties, with thinning hair and large, horn rimmed glasses. He had taken the nickname in stride, and Newt had been very upset when ‘Uncle Joe’ left and was replaced by another man who was not as amenable to the small child.

School was difficult, since Newt could not be near any computer without it shorting out, catching on fire, developing a sudden BSOD, or all three. His teachers quickly learned to seat him as far away from the class computers as possible, and any work that the other students did was printed out and handed to him in sheets. University wasn’t an option. The applications were all online, and even if they hadn’t been, Newt’s mother couldn’t afford the high cost of tuition.

So Newt had floated from one job to the next, always failing and getting fired because inevitably his boss would ask him to use the computer for something, Newt would valiantly try to explain why that was probably not a good idea, the boss would put the pressure on, which led to Newt breaking thousands of dollars worth of equipment, which of course led to him being sent packing.

Desperate, he had gotten a job at a small hardware store. The owner was an old man who ‘didn’t trust that new-fangled computer stuff’ and therefore had an old fashioned till, the kind that dinged when you opened the drawer. Newt had quickly adjusted. He wasn’t only a clerk, though. He swept the floors and stocked the shelves, making sure everything was in its place.

Then the bigger hardware stores had moved in, and the old man had been forced out of business. Newt, upon receiving his last paycheck, had been genuinely upset and hurt, and done something rather foolish.

He had gone to a pub and gotten plastered. He had stumbled out to Dick Turpin, somehow managed to get the key in the ignition, then set off for what he thought was home.

He would come to later in the hospital, a very beautiful woman staring at him.

Now, four months later, he was in the back room of a very nice and very large cabin owned by an immortal man and his Fae husband. Newt still wanted to pinch himself sometimes, not really believing that this was his life now. He had a gorgeous fiance(and he still felt a smug thrill when more handsome men would look at Ana, then at him, and just gape) friends, and a job.

He reached for a book on top of the pile to his right. It crackled, and he examined the spine. A bit broken, but fixable. He placed it on a table. The next book was waterlogged, the pages damp with mold. Into the Bin pile it went.

“Newt?” Aziraphale stuck his head in the door. “How’s it coming?”

“Good. I’ve got just a few more piles.”

Aziraphale grinned. “Leave them for now. I need to go into town for a few things, and was wondering if perhaps you’d like to join me.”

“Yeah, sure. Where’s Ana and Crowley?”

Aziraphale laughed. “Crowley’s teaching his protegee how to get honey without being stung.”

Newt grinned and went into the kitchen to wash his hands. He looked out the window. Sure enough, Ana was approaching the hives Crowley kept.

After informing their significant others where they were going(and Aziraphale gently reassuring Crowley that everything would be fine), they set off down the forest path.

They emerged right outside the village proper. “Okay,” Aziraphale said. “I need to pick up some roast for dinner tomorrow, and some flour, eggs, butter, oh, and perhaps some chocolates. But I think we should start with lunch.”

The village cafe was a small one, but the food was good. Aziraphale had fish and chips, and Newt ordered a cheeseburger. “So what was it like, being able to read minds? Was it like in the comics and movies? Did you help the police solve crimes?”

Aziraphale chuckled without mirth. “It was a nightmare. I couldn’t tune them out. Well, I could if I was so drunk that I passed out. I had migraines that left me curled up and screaming for the pain to stop. I...I told you that the catalyst for them was my brother deliberately trying to kill me, right?”

“Yeah.”

Aziraphale stared at the checkered cloth for so long that Newt began to feel a bit worried. “He locked me in an asylum.” The immortal suddenly blurted out. “I told him...told him I was hearing voices, that I could read minds, and...he locked me up, had me drugged up so I couldn’t fight back, and the doctors...they...tested me, I couldn’t stop the barrage of thoughts. I finally...finally told them I was cured, that the voices were gone.” Aziraphale stabbed a chip. “And then he ended up in the same asylum, driven mad by my husband.”

Newt gulped. “I know you’ve said he’s not dangerous..”

“I never said that. Crowley is incredibly dangerous. He’s an extremely powerful entity who can call up plants deadlier than any known to man and who does not have a human sense of morality. What I said was he poses no danger to **you.** ” Aziraphale said with a solemn expression. “Loving him, it’s like loving a wild, untamed creature that could easily kill me with a wave of his hand. I know he would never hurt me deliberately. But he did nearly kill me.” 

Newt boggled. “When?!”

“Gabriel and some of his lackeys came to try and force me to return to London and the madhouse. Crowley and I concocted a scheme, and during the...implementing of said scheme, he went into full Guardian Mode. He nearly ripped my throat out.”

“Why?”

Aziraphale touched his throat. “When he’s the Guardian, he forgets everything else besides protecting his forest. To him, I was just another human that needed to be taken care of.” 

“What stopped him?”

“He smelled me. My scent. He describes it as pears and cotton. It’s partly where his pet name for me comes from. But it stopped him, made him remember who I was.”

Newt took one last sip of his soda. “Are you scared of him?”

“No, and I never will be.” Aziraphale declared firmly. “He is dangerous, but he’s also kind, and gentle, and compassionate. It’s just that those traits had been repressed for so long, that anger and hate was all he knew for a very long time.”

After lunch, they went to the grocers and shopped, Aziraphale arranging to have the goods shipped to his house, then went for a stroll down the street. Newt went into the jewelry store and bought a necklace with a heart shaped pendant on it for Ana. “What do you think?” 

Aziraphale nodded in approval. “I think she’ll love it. I wish I could buy something for Crowley, but I don’t know what.” 

Newt thought for a few minutes. “Well, it would have to be something that wouldn’t fall off easily. I don’t suppose his ears are pierced.” Aziraphale gave him a look. “Right, okay. What about a necklace?” 

Aziraphale glanced at the necklaces in the display. “They’re alright.” He wandered over to another case. “Wait a minute.”

Inside the case were rings of all shapes and sizes. Aziraphale’s heart began pounding. While it was true that he and Crowley were married, they had no rings. Aziraphale had insisted that he didn’t need them, that rings weren’t needed, but now, looking at the gorgeous selections, he wasn’t so sure. Now he just had to find the right…

His eyes fell on a black box with two rings inside. One was gold, with  a simple leaf pattern in silver, The other was the same, only the leaves were gold and the ring silver. “Excuse me?” Aziraphale looked over at the lady behind the register. She came over. “Could I perhaps see those rings?”

“Of course.” She took the box out of the case, placing it on the counter. Up close, they were even lovelier. “These are on sale today. One hundred pounds.”

Aziraphale picked up the gold band and slipped it on his ring finger. It was a perfect fit. “I’ll take them.”

“Did you want to try one on, sir?” The clerk asked Newt. Newt blinked, then gasped. 

“Oh! No! He’s not...we’re not...” 

Aziraphale laughed. “What he’s trying to say is that we’re not together. He’s helping me find a ring for my husband, right?” 

Newt sagged in relief. “Right. That’s right.”

Aziraphale paid for the rings  and the necklace over Newt’s protests.”I can more than afford it, dear boy.” 

When they arrived home, Ana proudly presented the giant honeycomb she had harvested. Crowley was beaming in pride. “Little Witch didn’t get stung once!” 

Newt kissed her, then with a blush handed her the necklace box. Ana opened it and squealed in delight, peppering Newt’s face with kisses. “I love it!”

Aziraphale handed Crowley his own box. “You know how I said we didn’t need rings to show we’re married?” Crowley nodded. “Well...I may have changed my mind. Here.” 

Crowley opened the box and gasped. “Leaves!” 

Aziraphale held up his left hand. “They fit us so well, my love. Would you...wear that one?”

Crowley plucked out the silver band, then handed it to Aziraphale. “You put it on. Also s’posed to say...oaths?”

Ana laughed. “Vows, Crowley. They’re called vows. Newt and I are writing our own.”

Aziraphale removed his ring and pressed it into Crowley’s hand. “Well, if we’re doing this, let’s do it properly.” He took Crowley’s hand. “Anthony, before I met you, I was broken and on the verge of insanity. You came into my life like a hurricane, upsetting everything I knew, and I fell so hard and so fast that it made me dizzy. You are the most wonderful, beautiful, and magical being I have ever known, and I will forever love you. Becoming immortal, being able to live an eternity with you, is the best decision I have ever made.  I will love you for the rest of time.” He slid the ring onto Crowley’s finger. “Even though I am your king and husband, with this ring, I thee wed.”

Crowley blinked back tears. “Aziraphale, my Pear, my love, you made me remember what kindness was, what compassion was. You awakened a part in me I thought long dead, and I will be forever grateful for that. I vow to love you forever, to never be the cause of your pain, and to give you everything that it is in my power to give.” He slid the ring onto Aziraphale’s finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Ana grinned. “By the power vested in me by virtue of being Crowley’s protegee and Aziraphale’s friend, I declare you two married. You may kiss.”

Crowley grinned and pulled Aziraphale into a kiss that made the immortal’s toes curl. 


	10. Vines and Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ana learns how to conjure the Vines.

Chapter Ten: Vines And Roses

“Follow me, Little Witch.” Crowley said. Ana tied her hair back, slipped on her boots, and followed him into the forest.

“Where are we going?”

Crowley didn’t look back, darting from tree to tree. “Someplace very magical. Keep up.” He increased his pace, and below him Ana ran as fast as she could, making sure to never lose sight of him. He led her deeper into the forest than she had ever been. Just as she was beginning to get nervous, the trees suddenly thinned out and she found herself in a large clearing. There was an enormous shelter made of tree trunks in the center, and plants of every type grew all around. There was even a boulder large enough for ten people to sit on. Crowley dropped out of a tree and directly onto the boulder, patting it. “Up here.”

Ana clambered up, sitting next to him. Crowley was silent for a few moments. “This was my home. Before I met Aziraphale, when I still hated the villagers for what they did, even before I was burned. It’s hidden from everyone except me, Pear, and now you and Newt, should he wish to come here. This is the single most magical part of my forest. Can you feel it?”

Ana nodded. “I feel like my entire body is tingling, like it’s touching a live wire. But it’s not a bad feeling. I feel more connected here.”

Crowley slid off the boulder, extending his hand to Anathema so she could climb down as well. “The magic here that my ability comes from is tenfold. I don’t know why, but here in this place I can do so much more. Watch.” He extended a hand towards a clear patch of grass, then gestured. An apple sapling shot out of the ground, and Ana watched in fascination as it grew from a sapling to a flowering tree to bearing fruit in the space of seconds. Crowley gestured again and the apples dropped from the tree, the leaves withered, the tree shriveled, and soon all that was left was the bare patch. Crowley picked up an apple and waved a hand over it. It too shriveled away until there was nothing left.

Ana bit her lip. “Are you going to teach me that?”

“No.” Ana began to protest, and Crowley held up a hand. “Not because I don’t want to. Because you can’t do it, no matter how hard I may try to teach you. I don’t like doing it. As Guardian, I’m meant to make sure my forest stays alive. But once in a while, I must do what you saw. It pains me, and you do not need to know that pain. But don’t worry, little witch. I didn’t just bring you here to show you something that can’t be taught.”

“Then why did you?”

Crowley smiled and snapped his fingers. A vine grew out of the ground, wrapping itself around him. He snapped again, and this time one dropped from the trees and landed on Ana, who shrieked, jumping. Crowley cackled. “Pay better attention, Little Witch. These are my most important plants. My vines. They can carry messages to me, transport things, even be used as weapons if I wish. Now, watch.” He waved his hand, and the two vines merged together into one. Another wave, and long, sharp thorns appeared on the vine, covering every inch. “These are my thorns. If I wish it, I can send them into a person’s body and cause them unimaginable torment. I can cause them to drip with poison that would kill upon contact with the skin. I want you to turn the thorns into roses.”

Ana gawped. “How? I can’t do that without touching them!”

Crowley came over and stood next to her, talking in a soothing voice. “Yes you can, Little Witch. You can call up a plant from a seed, you can make the elements obey you, and you’re extremely clever. Expand your mind outwards, towards the thorns. You know how to call up plants. This is no different, but instead of pulling a plant out of the soil, you’re pulling it into a vine. Picture what the roses look like.” Ana shut her eyes, concentrating. “Do you have them?”

Ana opened her eyes and nodded. “Yeah.” She held her hand out, then with a nervous gulp made her gesture. At first, nothing happened, but then a small rose began to bloom from one of the bottom thorns. Then another, and another, until every thorn was gone, replaced by roses of every color. “I did it!”

Crowley beamed and clapped once. “Very good. Now change them into something else.”

Ana laughed and changed the roses into irises, then the irises into magnolias. “This is amazing!”

Crowley pulled the vines towards him, making them tie themselves around a nearby tree, then snapped his fingers to vanish them. Ana pouted.

“I was having fun!”

“I know, but that was only the first part of today’s lesson. Now I’m going to show you how to make the vines listen to you. But step one is calling them up.” Crowley gestured for her to come over. “Now, calling up the vines is different than calling up normal plants. For one, the vines are somewhat...sentient. They have a bit more animal traits, and a modicum of intelligence. They didn’t exist until I became the Guardian. You saw what they looked like, right?”

“Yeah, long and green.”

Crowley laughed. “Ana, you try calling them up with that vague of a description you’ll find yourself surrounded by everything long and green **except** my vines. What have I taught you?”

“To always make detailed note of what a plant looks like, because specificity is important.” Ana recited dutifully. Crowley ruffled her hair. 

“Good girl. Now, try again with the description.”

Ana frowned in thought. “They’re a deep, dark green. There’s some bits of black, like they have their own shadows. They have leaves that are shaped like crowns, and they feel smooth and cool to the touch. They’re not very thick, not unless there’s more than one tied together.” 

“And the smell?”

“Hmm..it’s like...a forest, after its’ rained.” 

Crowley grinned. “Exactly, Little Witch. Now,  use all that, and give it a try.”

Ana held out her hand and pulled upward. A vine grew from the ground and began climbing up her leg. She held still, and the vine wound itself around her waist, then her arm, stopping at her shoulders. “It’s...rustling.”

“It’s speaking.” 

Anathema pouted. “But I can’t understand it, not like you and Aziraphale can! He can hold entire conversations with them!”

Crowley stroked a leaf, and the vine rustled louder. “Yes, it’s true that you can’t speak to them like we can. Pear’s ability comes from me transferring some of my magic to him when I Decreed him my King and mate. I’m not going to do that with you.”

“Declare me a king?” Ana asked with levity. Crowley chuckled. 

“Transfer power. You’ve got so much untapped already, if I gave you more you’d probably explode. Did you have pets as a kid?”

Ana blinked at the sudden change in subject. “Yeah, we had cats. Mom was allergic to dog hair. Why?”

“Cats make different sounds for when they’re angry, happy, or hungry, right?”

Ana nodded. “Yeah. We had this one cat, Blossom, that would meow in our ears when she wanted to be fed.” 

Crowley smiled. “And when she meowed, you fed her?” A nod. “This is the same thing. That rustling you just heard was purring. The vine likes to be stroked.”  He demonstrated by gently running his fingers down the vine’s length. The vine rustled, lifting itself up in an arc. Crowley stopped stroking, and the vine’s leafs shook. “Sorry.” 

“So...the vines are basically cats in plant form?”

“Yep.” 

Ana looked over at the vine on her shoulder. It lifted up, then poked her in the forehead. “Hey, don’t do that.” She gently stroked it, and the vine rustled happily and settled back onto her shoulder. “How did you make it so they could support me and Newt that first day?”

“Well, that’s just a matter of making them into a chair. They love being made into different shapes. They also...” Crowley blushed suddenly. “Um, Aziraphale likes to use them...in the bedroom.”

Ana giggled. “Wait, he ties you up?” Crowley bit his lip and nodded. “Wow, never would have thought he was the type.”

“Oh, he very much is. Of course, he loves it when I use the vine to...”

“OKAY! MOVING ON!” Ana blurted, her face as red as Crowley’s hair. “Show me how to shape the vines.”

Crowley snickered and showed her. “Start simple, as ever. Do a circle.” Ana made the vine shape itself into a circle, then a triangle, then a square. “Okay. Now, for more complex shapes, you’ll need more than one vine. Call some.”

The lesson continued, with Crowley patiently leading Ana through the steps, until she was able to make the vines into a swing that could hold her weight as well as Crowley’s. “Now. You’re going to make them move. Look up at the trees, take note of how far apart they are.” 

“Okay, got it.”

“Send one vine to the next branch.”

Ana did, and the vine wrapped itself around the thick limb. “Got it!”

“Excellent job. Now, pull the rest of the vines towards that one, and keep doing it until you run out of forest. I’ll meet you at your house.” With that, Crowley leaped into the trees and took off so rapidly that all Ana could see was a blur. 

“Ugh. You could have told me how exactly I’m supposed to hang on.” She wrapped one hand around one of the vines, then sent another into the tree in front of her, tugging. Her stomach jolted as she lurched forward. 

The journey was bumpy, and a few times Ana was sure she was going to topple out of the makeshift seat and split her head open, but she clung doggedly on. 

Crowley was waiting for her when she burst out of the forest. She stopped, and the sudden movement made her topple out of her seat and land in a heap. “So, how was it?”

“Bumpy.” She stood and brushed herself off. “Thought I was going to fall off a few times.”

Crowley waved his hand and the vines shrank back into the ground. “Nah, you were fine. Now come on, Aziraphale’s waiting. He and Newt collaborated on dinner.” 

Ana grinned, and together they walked into the house. 


	11. Apples and Aphrodisiacs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aziraphale gets the full force of a very powerful aphrodisiac, and later Crowley teaches Ana how to make it properly. There's also a conversation about apples.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aziraphale is under the spell of an aphrodisiac in this chapter, but he is fully consenting and aware of what is going on. Crowley would not have taken him otherwise.

Chapter Eleven: Apples and Aphrodisiacs

Aziraphale whined deep in his throat, hands clenched into claws in the sheets. Above him, Crowley was sucking a hard, biting kiss into his right nipple, tweaking his other nipple with his sharp claws in a way that was making the immortal pant with pleasure. “Crowley...” the immortal’s mind was mush. His love’s hair was stroking his bare skin, tracing patterns on his legs, touching him everywhere except the one place he desperately needed to be touched. Aziraphale’s cock was hard as iron and leaking from the tip, and the firm grip Crowley had on him meant that he couldn’t lift a finger, much less stroke himself. “My love, please, I am begging you...”

Crowley smirked against his mate’s skin and slid one hand down, placing the tip of a clawed finger against his Pear’s hot cock. He pressed the claw against the hard flesh, and Pear shrieked, his eyes bright with pleasure. Crowley rolled Pear’s balls in his hand, scraping gently, and Pear gibbered, writhing.

Crowley nibbled on Pear’s neck, then sank his fangs into the soft flesh. Pear shrieked again and arched off the bed. Crowley lapped up the tiny bead of blood, then moved so he could pull Pear into a proper kiss. Pear moaned and kissed back. Crowley snapped his fingers, and Pear’s hands were tied together. He groaned, his blue eyes shining with desire. “So beautiful, my Pear.” Crowley whispered, tracing Pear’s alabaster skin with his claws. Pear whimpered, and Crowley leaned down, sucking a kiss into Pear’s stomach. He positioned himself so he was between Aziraphale’s legs. “So gorgeous, so willing.”

“Crowley, please, please...” Aziraphale knew he was begging, but at this point he didn’t care. His mind, fuzzy with pleasure though it was, looked back on the events that had led him here, panting and almost on fire with need and lust.

Crowley had shyly told him that he had knowledge of a plant that would increase sexual stimulation, if it was ingested. Aziraphale, who was pretty sure he and Crowley had gone through every page in the Kama Sutra at least twice, and was forever searching for new ways to spice things up in their bedroom(and had a **very** willing participant) had nearly begged Crowley to call it up. The Guardian had snapped it into being, and Aziraphale had shoved the whole thing in his mouth. Crowley sighed. “Pear, it’s supposed to be made into a tea. You’re going to get the full effect at once.”

Aziraphale had blinked, then shivered. His body grew hot, so hot that his clothes felt extremely restrictive. He stripped off, but he was still so hot, and Crowley. How had he never noticed how beautiful his husband truly was. The red hair, those sharp, lovely claws, his fangs...he was exquisite. Aziraphale had whined like a wounded animal and wrapped himself around his husband, rubbing against him. Crowley’s cool skin eased the fire that was burning in him, but it wasn’t enough. 

“Crowley...” Aziraphale’s voice was deep with lust. Crowley had gently grasped his shoulders, staring into the lust darkened eyes, and Aziraphale had whined deep in his throat and clawed at his tunic. “Need you...”

“Aziraphale. You just took a very powerful aphrodisiac. If you truly want me, ask properly. Otherwise I am carrying you down to the lake and tossing you in it to cool off.”

Aziraphale took a deep breath and managed to get control of himself. “I want you. I am fully consenting. Now please, my love, fuck me.”

Crowley picked him up and carried him into the bedroom. 

Aziraphale cried out as Crowley gripped both their cocks in one clawed hand, tugging. “Crowley!”

“My darling, my king, my Pear...” Crowley muttered against his inner thigh. He nipped the flesh, and Aziraphale gibbered. Crowley kissed where he had bitten, then moved once more. Pear’s cock was right in front of him, throbbing like a piston and leaking steadily. Crowley lapped up some of the moisture, and Aziraphale growled, burying his fingers in Crowley’s hair. 

Crowley sucked him down, scraping the hard, hot flesh with his fangs, and Aziraphale howled. Crowley smirked, swirled his tongue, and sucked hard. Aziraphale shrieked and began thrusting up into Crowley’s mouth with wild abandon. 

Crowley sucked him hard, scraping the flesh with his fangs, biting down, and above him Aziraphale’s shriek of pleasure was continuous. The immortal fucked hard and deep into Crowley’s mouth, the tip of his cock hitting the back of Crowley’s throat. 

Aziraphale’s shriek when he came made the windows rattle in their frames. He fell back onto the pillows, gasping for breath, still burning with need.  His skin was tingling, and every nerve was heightened. “Crowley, please, I’m begging you, please fuck me, I’m burning up, I need you to fuck me, please my love!”

Crowley slid up his love’s body, pressing soft, cooling kisses to the hot flesh. “Shh. It’s okay, Pear. Crowley’s got you. I’ve got you, my love.” He snapped up the berry, coated his cock and Aziraphale’s hot hole, then pressed in slowly. Aziraphale panted and sobbed in pleasure. “I’ve got you, Crowley’s got you, my love, my perfect one, my king, my husband,” the Guardian chanted as he fucked his love hard and deep. Aziraphale dug his hands into the bark smooth skin. 

“Faster...” he growled out, and Crowley increased his pace, bracing himself against the headboard as he drove deeper and deeper into his Pear’s perfect heat. Aziraphale matched him move for move, and the bed springs squalled. 

Aziraphale’s orgasms were so intense that he blacked out. When he came to, Crowley was cleaning him with a soft, cool cloth. His skin was no longer burning, and he felt like he had run twenty marathons. “Oh, god.” He couldn’t lift a pinky. 

“Listen to me next time?” Crowley asked with a teasing smile. Aziraphale blinked, then grinned wickedly. 

“Where would be the fun in that?”

Crowley’s laughter echoed through the bedroom. 

“He ate the whole thing?!” Ana asked, laughter in her eyes. Crowley laughed and nodded. 

“Leaves and all. Luckily, it’s edible even in that form, so no harm done. And it doesn’t take away...cognizance. It’s an aphrodisiac, not a roof.”

“You mean roofie?” Ana asked. Crowley nodded. “Where did you, no, wait. Aziraphale. Why did he tell you about those?”

“He got roofed once. Said it was long time ago, and he was able to get ‘way fore bad things happened.” Crowley shook himself, then grinned at Ana. “Anyway. Would you like to know how to properly brew Cupid’s Bow?” 

“Uh, yeah. I’m always looking for new things to try.”

“Pear’s got two copies of the Kama Sutra, if you want to borrow one. He’s also got a lot of erotic lit.”

Ana cackled. “I know. Newt was beet red when he came home the other day. Poor baby lead a bit of a sheltered life before he met me.” 

Crowley giggled, then stood from the sofa and led Ana out to the garden, stopping at a plant that she had never seen before. It was a deep red, with leaves shaped like arrows. The flower itself looked like...”A bow!” 

Crowley nodded. “Yep. Cupid’s Bow. After that night, Pear insisted on having a...steady supply, so I called this up.” He reached out and plucked a flower off the stem, handing it to Ana. “How does it feel?”

“Hmm. It’s got smooth petals, but the leaves have little barbs. Like on arrows!” 

“Very good. Now, take a sniff and tell me how it smells.”

Ana sniffed at the flower. “Has a...pepperminty smell, with a bit of...almost smells like perfume. It’s nice.”

Crowley grinned. “Okay, now. Take a  **very** tiny bit and tell me how it tastes, but do not swallow it. This is an extremely potent plant.” 

Ana touched the tip of her tongue to the petal. “It tastes like the best fruit I’ve ever eaten. I want more!” 

Crowley snapped his fingers and the plant vanished. Ana blinked at him. “Thanks. You weren’t kidding. So, what would happen if Newt or I did what Aziraphale did and ate the whole thing? Would it kill us?”

“No, but the experience would not be as pleasant for you. Aziraphale’s immortality plus the power I transferred to him means that his body can handle things that mortals cannot. Were you to ingest Cupid’s Bow without it being diluted, you would most likely die of exhaustion before it wore out.”

Ana gulped. “Right. Noted.” Crowley slipped an arm around her waist. 

“However, when brewed properly, it works wonders. Come on, Little Witch.” He steered her inside and towards the kitchen. “First, get me down my mortar and pestle.” Ana fetched them, and Crowley washed out the dust. “Tear three leaves off, and two petals. Put them in the mortar and grind them up.”

“You know,” Ana grunted as she worked, “you could probably get a cheap blender that would do this twice as fast.”

Crowley munched on a pear. “I could, but then what would you do?” He grinned when Ana stuck her tongue out. “You’re almost done.” 

Ana held the mortar out for approval. Crowley nodded. “Good job. Now, go get some water.” Ana glared at him and stomped out, returning a few moments later with a sphere of water in her hands. “Good job. Put it in here, please.” He snapped up an empty gourd. Ana directed the water inside. “Now the powder.” She carefully poured the ground up plant into the gourd, and Crowley snapped up a cork and sealed it. “Okay, instructions. Shake well before using, and pour a  **very** small amount into a cup. Heat for one minute to let all the juices in the plant release, then swallow in one gulp. Oh, and make sure you’re not in a public place, because even diluted, it takes effect very quickly.”

Ana set the gourd aside and went over to the fridge, pulling out an apple. “Why apples?”

“Huh?”

Ana hopped up next to him on the counter. “I just noticed that the main fruit in your garden is apple trees, and you always seem to be eating one. Almost always.” She amended. “So why apples?”

“I’ve always loved them. There’s so many types, so many varieties, and so many ways to prepare them. When I was mortal, my apples were the envy of the village. Before the priest turned them against me, I would go into town once a month with my crop and sell them at the market. I made enough money to be able to buy more seeds.” 

“When they...did they burn the apples, too?” 

Crowley sucked in a harsh breath. “They did. They burned everything.”  He smiled. “Still, if it wasn’t for my apples than I would never have loved my Pear.”

Ana sighed. “That’s so romantic.” 

Later that night, her own romance would take off like a rocket as she and Newt had their first batch of Cupid’s Bow, and when Crowley came over for her lessons the next morning, the blushing and smiling of his two friends made him cackle in delight. 


	12. A Promise of Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crowley has a plan. But all plans go awry.

Chapter Twelve: A Promise Of Hope

“Absolutely not.” Aziraphale’s face was sterner than Crowley had ever seen it. He was glaring at the Guardian, his normally blue eyes stony. “You are not subjecting that poor girl to the agony I went through simply because you’re afraid of her getting older. Nor will you make Newt go through the same ordeal.”

“But...” Crowley gulped at Aziraphale’s glare. “But I love her. She’s...like the daughter I wished I could have. Why can’t we keep them? They know about us, and they don’t want to leave.”

Aziraphale sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “That may be true now, my love. But what if it isn’t later? Newt and Anathema are young. They have their whole lives ahead of them, a whole world for the taking. You and I stay because we must. You because you are linked to this forest, and me because I am linked to you. You and Anathema are linked, but if you subject her to the Immortality potion, that link could well be severed. I chose to take the plant because the idea of growing old and dying without you was too horrible to bear. If you truly love Anathema like a daughter, as you claim, you will leave the choice to her.”

“What if she says no?”

Aziraphale came over and placed his hand under Crowley’s chin, tilting his head up. “Then you accept her decision.”

Crowley nodded, tears pricking at his eyes. “I don’t want to lose her, Pear. I don’t want to lose her.”

Aziraphale gently kissed him. “You won’t.”

Crowley took a deep breath and headed outside, jumping up into the nearest tree and heading for Newt and Anathema’s, his mind churning.

He had expected Aziraphale to be as enthusiastic about the idea of making Newt and Ana immortal as he was. After all, that would mean that they could be friends forever, and Crowley could keep teaching Ana everything he knew. She was a wellspring of curiosity, that one, and no matter what Crowley taught her, she always wanted to learn more. She was one of the most gifted mortals he had ever known. But it was more than her gift. Ana was sweet, and gentle, and had the same wicked sense of humor. Crowley had gone from admiring her for her skills to loving her like a daughter. Newt too had risen considerably in his esteem.

So for Crowley, the choice had been an easy one. He wanted Ana and Newt to stay always. He had presented the idea to Aziraphale. At first, the immortal had simply gaped at him, and Crowley had felt a glimmer of hope. But then Aziraphale had spoken. “Are you OUT OF YOUR MIND?!”

Crowley dropped out of the trees into Ana’s yard, then walked up to the door and knocked. It was opened seconds later by Ana, who upon seeing it was Crowley, whooped and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. “I’m so glad it’s you!”

Crowley hugged back. “I’m glad to see you too, Little Witch.”

Ana peeked over his shoulder. “Where’s Aziraphale?”

“Back home.”

Ana pouted a bit, but then beamed anew and pulled him into the house. Newt was sitting on the sofa, looking like someone had punched him with a wet sack. “You okay, Lizard?”

“Yeah.” Newt’s voice was dazed. Ana grinned and clasped Crowley’s hands.

“I’ve got the best news! Are you ready?” Crowley blinked and nodded.

“There’s going to be a new life in this house!” Ana crowed .Crowley blinked, not understanding. Ana looked pointedly at her stomach. Crowley gaped.

“You’re….” Eager, happy nodding.

“See I woke up a few weeks ago feeling kind of odd, and well, Newt and I have been getting a lot of use out of the Cupid’s Bow, and I’ve been taking some of the medicines we made for morning sickness, but they weren’t helping much.”

“So I took her into town to see the doctor, and well, she’s two months along.” Newt interjected.

“That’s why I was so happy to see you, because I wanted you to be the first to know, and to ask if there’s plants that will help me through this without doing harm to the baby, and also to ask you and Aziraphale to be godfathers.” Ana said, still beaming.

Crowley felt his hopes shatter. There was no way now that Ana could be given Immortality. The process would kill her unborn child before it had a chance. “I’m...very happy for you.” He managed. “I should...go get Pear. He’ll want to...hear the happy news.” He trudged out.

“Crowley, what’s the matter?” Ana had followed him out. “You don’t seem happy for me.”

Crowley sighed, hanging his head. “I am. That’s the worst of it. Do you know why I came here?” Ana shook her head. “Because I’m selfish. You….you must know how much I love you, Anathema Device. You have become, in your way, as dear to me as Aziraphale. You’re my daughter, in all but blood. I know you have a true father, but it doesn’t change how I feel. I don’t know what your feelings are for me...”

“I love you too. And Aziraphale. You’ve become indispensable, both of you. You’re more of a father to me than my father ever was, I can tell you that. He split on Mom and I when I was six. And you know what I remember most about him?”

“No.”

“His temper. You had to get something right the first time, or he would scream at you for being useless. But you, you’re so patient with me, and you’ve never yelled. But you didn’t just come here to tell me you’re selfish. Which you aren’t.”

Crowley turned to face her. “I am, Little Witch. So selfish that I put my needs ahead of what matters. I came here to offer you and Newt Immortality, but that cannot happen now.”

“Why not?”

Crowley gently placed a hand on her stomach. “Because not only would you be subjected to agonies beyond your imagining, agonies that would have a good chance of killing you, you would lose your child. And you would never be able to have another. Any child conceived in immortality would be frozen forever, unable to grow into new life.”

“Oh.” Ana said in a small voice. “Yeah, I can see how that would be a downer.”

Crowley sank to the ground, sobbing. “But I can’t lose you, Little Witch. The idea of you...being gone, being out of our lives, it feels like I’m being burned all over again.”

Ana sat next to him, pulling him into a tight hug. “Hey. I’ll be around for as long as I can, I promise. And this kid? She’s going to have the most amazing godfathers ever. I mean, who else can say that their godfathers are an immortal and a fairy?”

“’M not a fairy.” Crowley sniffled. “I’m a Guardian.”

“You know what I meant.” Ana snarked. Crowley gave her a wobbly smile. “And you know, there’s probably a good chance Kiddo here’s going to be as gifted as me. You could teach her, show her the magical world you showed me.”

“Yeah.” Crowley kissed her cheek, then stood. “I really do need to go home now. Aziraphale’s probably worked himself into a tither.”

“Oh no, not a tither! Well, let’s just hope it’s not a tizzy. Or a lather.” Ana laughed. Crowley pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“We’ll be back, Little Witch.” Crowley climbed into the trees and set off for home.

Aziraphale was a bit worried, but not overly so. “Well, how did it go?”

“I changed my mind.”

Aziraphale turned to face him. “Crowley, darling, what’s wrong?”

“She’s with child. The..process, it would kill them. Ana would never forgive me if she lived and her child died, and if she was immortal, she couldn’t ever conceive again.” Crowley sank onto the sofa with a sob. “I don’t want to lose her!”

Aziraphale came over and pulled him into his arms. “You won’t, my love. She will live a long, happy life, and when she is gone, we will mourn her. And Newt. That’s the burden we both share, my love. We are constant, and the world forever changes around us. There may come a time when I need to pretend to be my own descendant, or cousin, to avoid any suspicion. I will not mourn when Gabriel goes to his burning reward, nor will I shed tears for Alicia. But yes, I will cry when Ana and Newt are gone. I know how much it hurts to watch someone you love die. But death is a part of being mortal.”

“Do you ever regret it? Becoming immortal?” Crowley whispered brokenly.

“No. Because it meant that I could be with you, now and eternally. It also helped that it cured my telepathy. Ana has nothing that needs curing. She is a bright, wonderful woman. You know I love her too.”

“I know.” Crowley settled against Aziraphale’s shoulder. “She asked me for plants that would be safe. I do know some. Oh and she wanted us to be godfathers.”

“Godfathers? Well I’ll be damned.” Aziraphale beamed. “Did you tell her we’d be honored?”

“Forgot to.”

Aziraphale was about to chastise him when the bell rang. He stood and went to answer the door. “Ana! Newt! Come in my dears, come in!”

“Has Crowley told you the news?” Ana asked. Aziraphale beamed and nodded.

“He has! Congratulations to you both! And he’s also told me that you wish us to be godfathers! We’d be honored, of course.”

Newt grinned. “That’s wonderful.” Aziraphale led them to the living room, and they sat. “So we called our own parents right after Crowley left. Mum’s thrilled, of course, and so is Mrs. Device.”

Ana laid her head on Newt’s shoulder. “Right after we hung up on Mom, the phone rang again. It was Aunt Agnes calling to congratulate me.” Crowley and Aziraphale gaped at her. “Yeah. She’s always had this uncanny knack for knowing what was going on before being told. She even told Mom that Dad would be leaving six months before he actually did. Granny Tracy used to tease her and say she should go to Vegas with her gift and make a fortune.”

“Pardon me for asking, but Agnes and Tracy, are they…?” Aziraphale asked.

“A couple? No, they’re sisters. Tracy is married to a guy named Shadwell. Used to be in the army, got discharged, and Aunt Agnes has sworn that she will never get married. Says she has too much to do, and being married would only slow her down.” Ana sighed. “But on that subject, Newt and I were planning on marrying next year, but the baby may be born by then, and..”

“And what?” Aziraphale interjected. Ana stared at him. “My dear, the taboo of bringing a bastard into the world is long since lost its impact. Your child will be born to parents that love them, no matter what. A piece of paper is not going to change that. But if you wish, we could do an impromptu wedding right now.”

Crowley grinned and snapped his fingers. Two woven grass rings appeared in his hand. “Take them.”

Giggling, Ana and Newt took the rings. Crowley stood, then motioned for them to face each other. “Um, vows?”

“Eh, we’ll skip that bit.” Ana said, laughing.

“Okay. Um...do you, Anathema Device, take Newton Pulsifer as your husband?”

“Definitely.”

“Good good. Um, Newt, same thing, but as your wife?”

Newt blushed. “You bet.”

Crowley nodded. “Uh, then by the power of me being the Guardian, I say you’re married and you can kiss now.”

Newt grinned and pulled Ana into a passionate kiss.

“Come on, love, you can do it. I’m right here.” Newt grasped Ana’s hand, stroking her sweaty hair. “You can do this.”

Ana cursed in Spanish and bore down. Newt looked up at the doctors, apologetic.

“Sorry.”

“We’ve heard worse, son. Now, Mrs. Pulsifer, you’re almost there. Just one more big push, okay?”

“STOP FUCKING TELLING ME TO PUSH, YOU SHITHEAD! WHY DON’T YOU TRY PUSHING A FUCKING WATERMELON OUT OF A HOLE THE SIZE OF A PEA AND TELL ME HOW IT FEELS?!”

The doctor didn’t blink. “One more.”

Ana shrieked, bore down, and Newt nearly fainted at the pain in his hand. A piercing cry echoed through the hospital room. “Ana, it’s a girl! We had a little girl!” Newt said, happy tears in his eyes.

“Hurray for us.” Ana said tiredly, a smile on her face.

“Small!” Crowley exclaimed, staring in awe at the tiny human in Ana’s arms. The tiny human had no hair, and it..she, had big blue eyes and a tiny nose and wee little mouth. She smelled a bit like powder and roses. “I protect. Forest open to her. Never get lost, always safe there. I Decree it. No plants harm.”

“Thank you.” Ana said. “Would you like to hold her?” Crowley gulped and nodded. Ana gently placed her in his arms. The small human looked at him, and made a gurgling noise.

“What that mean?”

“She’s happy.”

Crowley gently stroked the small human’s forehead. “You under my protection always, little witch’s child. I Guardian. You be safe. Does little human have name?”

Ana nodded. “She does. It’s...a promise, as well as a name. A promise that no matter what, we’ll be with you. We’re calling her Hope.”

Aziraphale beamed. “What a perfect name.” He kissed the baby’s head. “Welcome to the world, Hope.”

Crowley stared into the blue eyes. He knew that when Ana and Newt left him, his heart would break. But for now, he held onto Hope.


End file.
